Mfoniso Udofia

REVIEW: A profound portrait of discovery and overcoming in Arts Emerson and Front Porch Arts Collective’s ‘In Old Age’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

 “I’m living big inside the right now.” Abasiama enthusiastically exclaims.

Abasiama has come a long way in the seven plays so far in the UFOT Family Cycle and we have now arrived at the penultimate production, In Old Age.  As with each of the previous productions, it is never without its surprises.

Profoundly directed by Dawn M. Simmons, Arts Emerson continues Front Porch Arts Collective’s world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia‘s In Old Age, the eighth production in the Ufot’s  nine-play family cycle which explores three Ufot Nigerian-American family generations, live and in person at Emerson Paramount Center in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 28.  This groundbreaking two hander bilingual and family friendly production in English and Ibibio runs 1 hour and 45 minutes with no intermission.  Having seen Ufot’s second production The Grove, the fourth production of Her Portmanteau, and the fifth production of Kufre and Quay, it was wonderful to see the progression in the Ufot Family, but you can witness and enjoy one without having seen the others.   Click here for more information and for tickets.

Abasiama (Ebony Marshall-Oliver) in the Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of IN OLD AGE. PHOTO by Nile Scott Studio

Ever wise and humorous, Ebony Marshall-Oliver is lovely as Abasiama Bassey who has now found herself a widow.  Her husband passes away prior to the events of In Old Age and proclaims, “She has no man and she needs no man.”  However, Abasiama is flabbergasted to learn that her daughter hires Marvin Bell as Azell Abernathy to renovate the family home as a surprise.  Toyoima encourages Abasiama to let Azell know how he can help, but that proves to be more complicated than it seems.

Marvin Bell as Azell Abernathy in the Front Porch Arts Collective production of IN OLD AGE. PHOTO Nile Scott Studios

Infused with a UFot personal touch, scenic designer Jeffrey Peterson emphasizes roots and foundation in Abasiama’s longtime family home in Worcester, Massachusetts.  Boasting an impressive towering wood frame and brick backdrop, this house is set on foundational brick blocks featuring remnants of past productions including a gold grandfather clock and an old wood burning stove.  Costumer Chloe Moore creates a variety of ensembles for Marshall-Oliver and Bell that reflect each of their distinct personalities and how radiantly their style changes as the production progresses.  Sound designer Arshan Gailus with lighting designer Eduardo Ramirez reflect a fluctuating peacefulness and sudden intensity through a variety of spontaneous instances over the course of a few days.

Marshall-Oliver as Abasiama Bassey and Bell as Azell Abernathy are quite a captivating pair to watch through their heated and humorous exchanges and candor and the way they observe each other.  In a plaid flannel shirt and work boots, Bell is a natural as seemingly charming, practical and enthusiastic chatterbox Azell while Marshall-Oliver is deeply relatable and endearing as a reserved and anxious widow who is coming into her own while attempting to overcome her insecurities and put aside her urge to remain set in her ways.  “What is outside should never enter inside” and “It is like everything has its own kind of beauty” is just a couple of the pearls of generational wisdom and observances reflected by Abasiama. 

Ebony Marshall-Oliver as Abasiama in the Front Porch Arts Collective production of IN OLD AGE.

Like in other UFot productions, In Old Age contains surprising and welcome elements of the spiritual and supernatural ingrained into this insightful and moving tale.  Though both characters have both lived through remarkable stories, In Old Age shows there is still so much more to tell.

Ebony Marshall-Oliver as Abasiama in the Front Porch Arts Collective production of IN OLD AGE. PHOTO Nile Scott Studios

Profoundly directed by Dawn M. Simmons, Arts Emerson continues Front Porch Arts Collective’s world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia‘s In Old Age, the eighth production in the Ufot’s  nine-play family cycle which explores three Ufot Nigerian-American family generations, live and in person at Emerson Paramount Center in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 28.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Searching for reconnection in Central Square Theater with Front Porch Arts Collective’s world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia’s intensely heartfelt ‘Her Portmanteau’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Sundays are Abasiama’s good day. 

It is on a Sunday that Jade A. Guerra as Iniabasi arrives to New York from Nigeria to reunite with family she has not seen in many years.  However with a misunderstanding from the start, reconnecting will prove to more of a challenge than anyone could have imagined.

Profoundly directed by Tasia A. Jones, Central Square Theater with Front Porch Arts Collective continues the world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia‘s Her Portmanteau, the fourth production in the Ufot’s  nine-play family cycle which features three Ufot Nigerian-American family generations, live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Saturday, April 20.  This intense bilingual production in English and Ibibio runs 90 minutes with no intermission.  It is fascinating to see how these families progress over these nine plays, but you can witness and enjoy one without having seen the others.   Click here for more information and for tickets.

Victoria Kanyike and Jade A. Guerra in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s ‘Her Portmanteau’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Scenic designer Shelley Barish emphasizes family with an Ufot personal touch displaying framed family photos and gold embellishments around Adiaha’s New York City apartment in January 2014.  Having seen Ufot’s second production The Grove, it was wonderful to see the progression in the Ufot Family from the earlier production in 2009 evident in the set such as Kimberley’s portraits lying by the door.  This stylish apartment is enlivened with splashes of vibrant color in the kitchen and living room as well as gold ropes surrounding it as if symbolically anchoring it in place.  Arshan Gailus’s urgent and at times roaring scenic design emphasizes the family’s building tension, making their surroundings occasionally overwhelming.  However, the family silences are more deafening that any outside activity.  Enclosed in this city apartment, the past is bound to come out.

Jade A Guerra and Patrice Jean-Baptiste in Central Square and Front Porch Arts ‘s Collective ‘Her Portmanteau’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Her Portmanteau continues to build Udofia’s rich characters in each piece and from the moment Jade A. Guerra as serious and direct Iniabasi appears, though she is in the same room as her mother and half sister, they seem continents away.  At first, you wonder if this is due to a language barrier or something more.  Iniabasi is as short, awkward and defensive as Lorraine Victoria Kanyike as Adiaha is thoughtful, chatty and earnest in making Iniabasi comfortable.  Kanyike and Guerra share some notably humorous moments as they struggle to understand each other sharing quips and slights comparing their contrasting upbringing.  With an occasional nervous chuckle, Kanyike’s Adiaha exhibits anxious and yet it is interesting to witness charisma and confidence in Adiaha who has clearly come into her own while Patrice Jean-Baptiste depicts Abasiama, their loving yet complicated mother. 

Victoria Kanyike and Patrice Jean-Baptiste in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s ‘Her Portmanteau’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Family tension and strain is palpable right from the start and it is intriguing to watch this impressive cast try to break it in a mix of humorous, intense, and painfully relatable moments.  Jean-Baptiste exhibits a carefully executed mix of excitement, curiosity and apprehension as she searches for avenues of reconnection while still dealing with her own struggles and trauma with quiet and harrowing strength.  Patricia Jean-Baptiste and Guerra share stirringly complex scenes in their strained conversations and Udofia’s moving dialogue.  Rooted in love, anger, brokenness and resentment, they misunderstand each other in vast and impactful ways searching to a sense of belonging speaking from different worlds and yearning for middle ground. 

Patrice Jean-Baptiste and Lorraine Victoria Kanyike in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s ‘Her Portmanteau’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Her Portmanteau is a remarkably moving chapter about family.  It contains struggles and conflict as well as surprising and heartwarming discoveries that were simply wonderful to watch unfold.

Central Square Theatre with Front Porch Arts Collective continues the world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia ‘s Her Portmanteau live and in person at Central Square Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Saturday, April 20.  Click here for more information and for tickets.