In Red and Brown Water

                The play, In Red and Brown Water, was easily the most unique play I have ever seen.  I do not have much experience with viewing plays but this one in particular certainly grabbed my attention and kept it throughout the entire performance.  The play consisted of a few different main characters with very different goals and personalities.

                Oya, the main character, is a young girl, probably around the age of eighteen, who is a star runner and is constantly struggling to figure out who she really loves and wants to be with.  Throughout the entire performance, it is implied that she is truly in love with Shongo, a womanizer who acts very smoothly towards Oya.  Shonga, however, joins the military, so he is constantly coming in and out of Hoya’s life.  Oyas mother, mama Moja, tries to convince Oya not to give Shongo the time of day.  Her part is cut short though as she passes away fairly early in the play.  Oya’s extremely outgoing aunt then replaces mama Moja as Oya’s mother figure.  After turning down a running scholarship, Oya spends most of the play trying to figure out who she loves more, her husband, or Shongo.

                The most important thing in the story line for the main characters is who Oya truly loved.  Many men wanted to be with her, yet she could never really figure out who she really loved, until it was too late.  She did not end up with the man she really loved (Shongo) and this led to her ultimate demise due to her depression. Her scholarship to the college seems at first to be the most important thing but then it becomes very clear that where her love falls is the real problem in her life. 

                I was most compelled by how even though the storyline took place in the projects, all of the characters dressed and at some points acted as if they were part of an African tribe.  Throughout the performance there would be points where the musicians would play very tribal-like beats and the actors would dance exactly as you would expect tribal people to dance like.  This made the play seem as though there was an underlying meaning.  I felt like the director was trying to argue that these same problems occurred many years ago in these tribes as well as today.

                There aren’t many criticisms I could make of this play except that it was a little confusing for a good part of the beginning.  It took me a while to actually grasp exactly what was going on.  However, overall I felt the play was very well acted and directed.

                This was a very unique play for me and one of only a few I’ve seen.  The only other one I remember is Your Welcome America where Will Ferrell played George W. Bush, so its needless to say that this was a much more unique and cultural experience.  I would recommend this play to anyone, and I feel everyone could enjoy the experience.