(5 / 5)

There was a very vibrant atmosphere when we walked into the studio to see Es and Flo. The music they put on before it started had quite a Reggae feel and influence, and the set just blew me away. It was so beautifully done, because you could see the home and decor influences of the 80s, but you could tell it wasn’t set in the 80s, it had a bit of a modern feel. The set design by Libby Watson was amazing, in how they thought of every detail. There was a picture of Jamaica above the fridge, they had a kettle that they used many times during the show, and the milk from the fridge, they had wine on the kitchen counter, they had a sofa and a chair which had a mismatched feel and the books that lined the shelves behind them made up the intricate details and gave hints to the characters; they had a lot of travel books and a Spanish dictionary above a Collins English dictionary. They had an older-looking radio that was cleverly used at the start of the play, and the whole piece was very intimate and real, and the start saw Es putting on the kettle for tea, turning the radio on and letting it play something to do with the Conservative Party, and the opening line was ‘F***ing Tories’, which broke the ice in a funny and clever way, while introducing the characters’ beliefs and values.

Another thing that was very cleverly done with the set/ space was between scenes they would show images and sound clips from Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp, because the characters first met there and they stood up for what they believed in. One of the songs they kept repeating the tune of was Frère Jacques, and the lyrics that they/ the women at the peace camp had sung were ‘we are women, we are strong, we say no, to the bomb’ and I think using that sound was connecting and emotional on another level. They projected these images onto a black curtain just above the stage, and in the second part, after using the projection to transition between scenes, they drew back the curtain to reveal another stage space for a hospital scene, which was so cleverly done because they didn’t have to change any of the set and it was still very much intimate and a slice of their lives.

The general story and the characters were so well created, that you felt emotionally invested in each one of their lives, and you could imagine their stories before, and possibly after, the plane that we were invited into. Even the character who seemed the most judgemental and nastiest character, had changed and you saw the life she had outside of Es and Flo and felt very sorry for her.

One of the best parts of the show was showing a lesbian couple on stage, which I think invited a wider range of audiences, and not being afraid to not just kiss, but ‘snog’ in front of the audience as well! Another part I loved about it, which links to society being judgemental of gay couples in the 1980s was that there were 5 characters in the cast, all women, so we didn’t actually have the perspective of a male character although two were mentioned (Es’s ex-husband and her son, who was Catherine’s husband), which I thought was very clever.

Some of the best shows I have seen have been in ‘small’, intimate spaces, and I think that’s because you really get immersed in the show because it’s so close to you, and you can empathise with the characters a lot more that way.

I really think that I have just witnessed a truly brilliant piece of theatre (and you could too!) that will become very popular, and reach far and wide. Not only did it have a good story, curtesy of the Playwright, Jennifer Lunn but the characters were multi-dimensional, the Director, Susie McKenna had a great vision as well as the set designer, and every other factor contributed to it being an amazing show, so I urge you to hurry down to the Wales Millennium Centre while you still can.

You can find out more about the production and book tickets here

I wanted to review this production because I was intrigued to see a blockbuster movie translated to a stage in Cardiff as I couldn’t quite imagine it.

The show gets off to an explosive start with our lead character – diminutive superstar Rachel Marron (former Pussycat Doll, Melody Thornton) – on stage belting out a montage of Whitney’s biggest hits and sets the scene for a production full of big voices and big hits that doesn’t disappoint. 

The storyline is kept mercifully simple and true to the original film, which I always prefer, and the production is peppered with certain key scenes and memorable dialogue extracts from the film.  I really liked the staging – I wasn’t sure how they would convey the opulence of a Hollywood mansion on stage, but it was done subtly and effectively, giving a suggestion of luxury without the need for complex sets.  Personally I felt that the lead character’s casual-wear costumes weren’t reflective of what a wealthy superstar would wear – yes it would be casual, but made of luxury fabrics and flattering to her stature rather than the slightly unflattering, asymmetric cardigan reminiscent of ‘lockdown wear’!  Frank Farmer (Ayden Callaghan) however, was perfectly attired for the part and his gentle swagger and body language reflected the quiet confidence of the Kevin Costner character well.  I have to mention the final scene of the first half.  Rachel and Frank are on a date – a scene which brings a bit of humour and realism to the Hollywood bubble, and I thought the staging and lighting for this scene was inspired.  As the couple’s relationship moves from animosity to romance – the gritty bar and tipsy onlookers melt away and we are transported with the couple to an evocative, starry wonderland – perfect!

At the interval, both my friend and I agreed that we thought Emily-Mae (playing the sister – Nikki Marron) actually had a voice more suited to Whitney classics than Melody Thornton, who I felt had a more ‘musical theatre’ voice (I didn’t know until after the show, that she had been a pop star in her own right).  Emily-Mae’s vocals were very strong and she was very convincing as the talented, overlooked sister living under the shadow of her sister’s fame.  In fairness to Melody Thomas, both my friend and I agreed at the end that she had been stronger in the second half and totally nailed the final song – the one that really counts in this production – and lets be honest – anyone that can carry off a Whitney classic has an exceptional range and great vocal control!  Judging by their reaction, the rest of the audience certainly agreed. 

All in all I really enjoyed the show.  For those people (like me) that have some difficulty in relaxing at musical theatre this is the perfect production – part pop-concert, part-play with songs that most people will recognise and are integral to the story.  Strong song and dance routines, a humorous interlude, convincing romance and heartbreak and even a heart-stopping surprise, give this production all the ingredients an audience might want for a good night out.

The Meaning of Zong is written, co-directed with Tom Morris, and stars Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards winner Giles Terera, the play is produced by Bristol Old Vic and performed at the Barbican Theatre.

In The Meaning of Zong, you gently travel back to the divine memories of each slave captive’s life and homeland before their freedom was stolen, every time you hear the subtle words repeated ‘you’re a from a place, where the land & mountains are strong, the animals are beautiful & the people, great. Through The Meaning of Zong we journey through the savagery of the slave trade, where identity was forcibly lost and pain, death, suffering, and torture resulted in trauma. 

Generational trauma is a reoccurring strong theme seen throughout, creating the revolutionary quest of Gustavus Vassa, who had bought his freedom, but always knew his life was not the fate of many indigenous Africans, who were kidnaped as he was. The Meaning of Zong reveals Gustavus Vassa’s traumatic experiences through flashbacks and sensitivity due to captivity and family separation, leading him to chase hope and adventure, and therefore determined to find justice for the lives lost during the crossover to the West Indies before reaching the United Kingdom. This production retells the magnificent true story of the painful enforcement on Africans having to lose their mother tongue language, forget their Identity and detach from their culture, causing invested abolitionists to end slavery led by Gustav to fight the battle of political & racial injustices carried out against humanity. 

Another powerful theme explored in The Meaning of Zong is survival, where we metaphorically get to acknowledge the differences between swimming and drowning. As well as, what it means not to become a victim during the storm, but a survivor in the mist of challenges, deprivation, anguish & turmoil. This is shown using thin blue ropes to show the opposition of the waves, the strength of the sea, and individuals having to overcome the wrath of the sea they got thrown into, showing the strength and resilience of Africans during this era, both physically and mentally. 

African spirituality is another strongly prevalent theme, depicted through rhythmic drumming, beautifully incorporated by onstage Music Director and Composer Sidiki Dembele. The powerful African drumming throughout takes the audience on an invigorating journey of passion to rise against the odds, be hurt but not be broken, drowned but unable to die. Reaching the peak of an ultimate strength of victory, love, mission, and completion of an enchanting legacy to come. 

The Meaning of Zong heightens an awareness of not only historical black British citizens, but descendants of Africa’s undiscovered stories, legacies, and abolitionist’s underlying power. As three female slaves reminisce on their mothers cooking during captivity on a ship taking them further away from home, descriptively referencing their traditional dish, Jollof rice, being made with tender love and care, well flavoured with divine preparation, and despite being made slightly differently, they eventually all relate and intimately connect emotionally during their discussions. A Beautiful moment!   

The costume design, set design, music and lighting effects were extremely spectacular, giving you a real feel for London city in the 16/17^th century, conditions on a slave ship and The Houses of Parliament. Giving you a deep insight into how mistreatment was justified through Christianity, politics, and law, to legalise brutality & discrimination to justify it all as necessity.

Overall, seeing the transition from Gustav Vassa to officially Olaudah Equiano in the second part of the show was a powerful dynamic, retaining his name was a spiritual rebirth for him due to Great Britain’s ritual at the time to enforce the ‘no name, no home, no Africa agenda onto Africans until it manifested. Olaudah Equiano, had to overcome his post-traumatic stress to win against his trials and tribulations, willing to lose all his wealthy possessions. The Meaning of Zong, the ship, is a truly raw depiction of the colonial period which still marks an everlasting fight for justice throughout the world today, bringing about a revolution for everlasting justice due to scars & unhealed wounds, inspired by writer and abolitionist, Gustavus Vassa. 

A wonderful play on determination to find peace and fight for justice, that led to a written memoir, which may one day be found on your local bookstore shelf, possibly misplaced, however landing in the right hands inevitably, where you may be that individual to put it into its right place. 

Family Tree, directed by Matthew Xia, greatly explores the era of segregation in the 1950’s, where Henrietta Lacks, performed by Aminita Francis takes to the stage to tell her story. 

Playwright, Mojisola Adebayo

Playwright, Mojisola Adebayo poetically enacts how Henrietta Lacks, diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951, endured difficulty to find treatment, leading her to turning towards St Johns Hopkins hospital, being the only hospital, medically treating black people at the time. 

Production Photographs: Helen Murray

Aminita Francis, greatly enacts snippets of Henrietta’s personality as we see her disgust and detest for George Guy, the researcher for tissue culture at Hopkins hospital, who’d been trying to grow human cells outside of the human body for hundreds of years! We see the disturbance on Henrietta’s face as she dives in to the cheekiness, elaborating on how her cells were taken without her consent or knowledge and to be quite frank, why wouldn’t she!  

Setting the scene, we get a good feel for the other amazing actresses playing multi-rolling parts as ancestors and nurses, played by Mofetoluwa Akande, Keziah Joseph & Aimée Powell, expressing their annoyance towards exploiters like George Guy, and stress the importance on the roots of racial injustices and the disproportionate inequalities in health care who never gave credit to the descendants of Henreitta Lacks irresistible cells and black people as a whole who have contributed greatly to society world-wide.

The set design by Simon Kenny is remarkable, with glowing, hanging immortal cells on a tall branched tree, an expression for Henrietta’s forever growing and dividing cells for years, where every medical centre wanted it for research, spreading vast across the entire world. Becoming one of the most important concepts for medicine, being used for space emission to see what would happen to human cells in zero gravity, created cancer medications, cloned for genes, helped to make the polio vaccine, mapping and the important ingredient used for all vaccines mankind injects, the entire world has undeniably benefitted from Henrietta’s cells. 

However we also see how the most important cancer cells used for medical research, took her life also in October 1951, at the age 31 , never knowing how important her cells would be, until a science writer worked with the family to discover the truth, the uncovered well hidden legacy 5 decades later. 

Family Tree is a strong reminder of what Henrietta has done for the world, and the mixed emotions of this incredible woman’s involvement in science especially, alongside the anger black people carry seeming everyone else can and has benefited from this, apart from black people, apart from the family. Immortal cells used all over the world for scientists research , labs and yet black people all over the world especially the family continue to suffer from basic health care. 

This production paints a family tree of Black women whose cells, blood and waters have birthed, raised and changed the world by preserving her legacy. Family Tree is a vocal statement about Henreitta’s life and the (HeLa) genome, science and communications, and race and science, the history of science and medicine, and how it was built on the backs of black people without their knowledge. The concepts of what blackness means in a world that refuses to accept and embrace true history. Especially the unique story of HeLA, who continues to save lives, giving life, as her special cells can invigorate fertilisation, people till today still report being able to give birth thanks to HeLa cells, which is one of the many beautiful impacts of an incredible black woman who has been denied her place in history, which director, Matthew Xia, highlights creatively.

Catching up with playwright Mojisola Adebayo after the play, was insightful. Mojisola Adebayo, has done an incredible lyrical justice by enabling this play to be a poetical masterpiece, by powerfully executing the realities of race, inequality, health, the environment and the incredible legacy of one of the most influential Black women of modern times, Henrietta Lacks, whose influence on modern-day medicine, is so relevant, it can and will never be forgotten. 

Family Tree metaphorically expands on beauty, in the context of honesty, life and our connection to nature, Orishi, the Nigerian goddess, talking trees, movement of expression through spiritual dance & connectivity. The power and manipulation of a slave owner is seen throughout this play, as well as many spiritual, ritualistic mediums of truth, love and ancestral rhythm which chants hope for all black people have lost, in the fight for power, peace and longevity. Family Tree is full of metaphorical, symbolic and spiritual codes, languages and passion, highly recommended!

This production will be touring nationally until, June 13 – 17. You can find out more about the production and book tickets here.