Although I wasn't particularly happy about taking time out of my Saturday, I am not the kind of person who dreads going to the theater. I have seen my fair share of plays and musicals in my time, and have almost always completely enjoyed them. In the Red and Brown Water was no different. I really liked the play with its bold characters and vibrant songs. The format of the play was different from any other I had seen so I was taken by surprise in that area. The characters themselves narrated their own actions, which at first had me taken aback. However, I found it to be a refreshing change of pace from the norm, and I enjoyed it. The only thing that did frustrate me was that there was no synopsis of the play in the program. I had to figure it out on my own, and at times I was left confused.
The play focused around a young girl named Oya, who is known in her community to be a fantastic runner. She is even offered a scholarship to college because of her talent, but turns it down because her mother is ill, hoping to be offered it again the following year. Her mother passes away, and she is not again offered the scholarship. She then begins living with Shango, and hopes to start a family with him, though he disagrees. Oya and Shango eventually split up when he decides to go into the army. Oya then begins to see Ogun, who promises to start a family with her and loves her unconditionally. However, his promise is not fulfilled right away and Oya begins to grow tired of him and jealous of her friend Elegba who has fathered a child. She wants to have a child in her life to love. Oya cuts things off with Ogun just as Shango returns to town. Before he makes it to her house to see her, she learns that a neighbor, Shun, is pregnant with his child. When Shango arrives at her house, Oya hand him a present; her own ear that she has cut off.
I felt Oya wanted to leave her mark in the world. At first she tried to do that with her running, but was unable to after she lost the scholarship to school. She then turns her focus to mothering a child. Her own child would be a mark in the world; something specifically hers. I also feel that she wanted to someone to love unconditionally, as she had struggles with her love for both Shango and Ogun. I don’t feel as if Oya ever managed to achieve her goal. She became swallowed up in the world and let her sadness overwhelm her. The play ended with saying that she “wasn’t crazy, just sad.”
The thing that was most compelling to me in the play was the music. The songs were so full of passion to begin with, and the actors only added to that. The actors danced zealously and moved so expressively with the songs. I think I just loved the fact that I could tell each of them loved what they were doing. My favorite song was the gospel piece because it was so full of life and it inspired everyone in the crowd to clap along.
Overall I had a great time at In the Red and Brown Water. Like I said, I am not hard to please when it comes to the theater. I love plays and musicals of all kinds and this was no exception. The only critique I have is not of the play itself, but of the fact that we were not offered any information about the plot, prior to seeing the play, which made things a tad confusing at times. However, that definitely wouldn’t stop me from seeing it again.
