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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Jaja's African Hair Braiding Also see Susan's reviews of Clue: Live on Stage, Sojourners, Primary Trust, The Comedy of Errors
Jaja (Victoire Charles) owns the hair-braiding shop in Harlem, but on this hot day she's too busy preparing for her wedding to a citizen, meaning she will finally get her green card. Her teenage daughter Marie (Jordan Rice) has the grades, but not the financial support, to get into a good college. Meanwhile, Bioh's 80-minute play covers the events of a single summer day in 2019, from opening the metal grille over the front door of the shop to closing time. David Zinn's scenic design unfolds to extend the playing space and allow necessary details, such as the television sets broadcasting African music and dramas. A casual viewer might only see the surface of the interactions among the stylists, the requests of the customers, and the momentary visits by people in the neighborhood, but Bioh's writing is about so much more. The dialogue pulses as it lays out the friendships and rivalries that have grown for years, the buried resentments, the pride of each stylist representing her country of origin. Nikiya Mathis deserves recognition for the variety of her hair and wig designs, as each woman onstage has her own distinctive style and some of the actors actually braid the customers' hair in real time. Out of a notable ensemble, Awa Sal Secka stands out as Bea, who dominates her space with a powerful voice, a voluminous Afro, and an embroidered two-piece dress (Dede Ayite has created eye-catching and character-defining costumes). She has a running battle with Ndidi (Aisha Sougou), who wears long, puffy braids and is only working at Jaja's because of a fire in her own shop. The other stylists are Aminata (Tiffany Renee Johnson), regal in her red off-the-shoulder blouse and colorful beads woven into her bangs, and Miriam (Bisserat Tseggai), a recent arrival. As Jaja, Charles is regal in her sleek white wedding dress and complicated braided updo. Jaja's African Hair Braiding runs through October 13, 2024, at Arena Stage, Mead Center for American Theater, Kreeger Theater, 1101 6th St. SW, Washington DC. For tickets and information, please call 202-488-3300 or visit www.arenastage.org. By Jocelyn Bioh Cast: |
