SHE MAMI WATA & THE PUSSY WITCHHUNT by d’bi.young anitafrika, directed by Blakka Ellis (the Watah Theatre). At Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace (16 Ryerson). Runs to May 22. Pwyc-$25. 416-504-7529, thewatahtheatre.org. See Continuing. Rating: NNNN
Even if you missed the first part of d’bi. young anitafrika‘s Orisha Trilogy, Esu Crossing The Middle Passage, be sure to catch the second instalment, She Mami Wata & The Pussy WitchHunt. While the plays connect thematically, each also stands on its own.
Its emotional force is immediately evident when anitafrika and supporting musician Amina Alfred burst forth in song outside the theatre to greet the audience, treated here as a congregation. Once inside, anitafrika tells a story of friends growing up in modern-day Jamaica who contend with societal expectations at school, church and in their neighbourhood while trying to navigate gender roles and sexual orientation amidst entrenched homophobia.
With composer Alfred providing musical accompaniment, anitafrika embodies numerous characters in a tireless, highly physical performance. At the forefront are Nicki, who fearfully flees the village seeking to embrace her lesbian identity and finds power and strength as an erotic dancer in a club, and Michael, who stays and joins the church. Their eventual reconnection provides a standout scene.
Dance, song, poetry and allegory are used to explore the black diaspora and activism. Although anitafrika could go deeper into the characters’ lives, the complex narrative keeps you riveted as it shifts back and forth from childhood to adulthood. Flashbacks supply some of the play’s most emotionally provocative moments.
In the post-show chat, which anitafrika feels is integral to her creative process, she revealed that director Blakka Ellis was her first director in Jamaica when she was 11 years old. Their mutual love and trust are apparent in the fearless staging, which at times places the actor, scantily clothed as Nicki, right in the middle of the audience.
Jenna McCutchen‘s costumes and set design play an integral role. The costumes aid the quick transitions between characters, and the set (with a stripper pole at its centre) enhances the provocative material and contributes to the show’s vivid final image.
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