The party had already started before we arrived in Royal Exchange’s theatre-in-the-round. We were in a barbers', music was blasting out, men were socialising, and the joyful vibes were infections. We were on the outside looking in, on one day, six cities, made up of a thousand stories.
Generation after generation, African men have gathered in barber shops. Perhaps, some turned up purely for a haircut, possibly requesting the latest hairstyle trend? Maybe, more often than not, they came to talk. Talk about: football, travelling, career paths, values, ambitions, money, nothing in particular, life, or even mental health.
Writer, Inua Ellams, found it surprising that barbers somewhere were asked to be involved in a pilot project teaching the very basics of counselling. Conversations have the potential to turn into something more intimate and exposing out of nowhere, no matter where you are in the world. Whether you are in, Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos, Accra, or London, where this play takes place. Ellams’ play transported the audience into a testosterone-fuelled, dynamic, and masculine world, composed of banter and bold truth. Although a lot was covered in the one hour and 50 minute running time, running themes were present throughout. Specifically, zooming in on relationships and father figures, historical and modern day politics, societal attitudes, identity, and men’s mental health.
Structurally, the play switched between cities and plots. Each scene assigned a certain area of conversation and we gradually found out more about the characters as the play went on. Scenes tended to mirror each other as similarities and differences were revealed between different cultures. There was one funny continuous joke throughout highlighting cultural variances.
Individual fragments of the narrative were broken up with movement and dance sequences, choreographed by Aline David. This complimented the exploration of identity and was so full of warmth, life, and spirit that it was frustrating there wasn’t more of this. The multi-generational music was expressive, rhythmically joyous, and uplifting. There was a mixture of backing track and live singing which was an absolute treat – particularly the distinctive harmonies. The call and response motifs effectively reminded me of football chanting. Personally, I felt the narrative cycle of swapping to numerous cities and subsequent conversation subjects became rather pedestrian on occasion. On the flip side, I suppose it did allow for multiple perspectives on a variety of issues, resulting in a lot of detail.
Looking level at the stage, the bottom half of Rae Smith’s design was true to real life with the barber shop chairs and appropriate equipment ready for the job. There was a shop sign for each location. I liked the featured, iconic Lycamobile logo. The top half of the set presented a globe made up of neon lights and a mirror ball in the centre. Wires of colourful neon light extended out into the audience: we were part of something buzzing and bouncy, where everyone from everywhere was connected to this audience and performer electricity.
Jack Knowles’ lighting captured the glorious sun casting over the African continent magnificently. I thought I should have been sweltering in the heat. You then had clinical-like lighting in other parts, particularly in moments of heart-rending preaching or highly-charged confrontation. One man argued that Mandela failed his people; another noted how parenting has changed - have we become soft on our children? There was a debate about how specific offensive words vary in meaning between cultures and groups of people. On another topic, what about how Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups are represented in the media? Then, in Ghana’s capital Accra, the perception of mental health apparently is attributed to the secretive happenings in a psychiatric hospital. Tragically, there is still a stigma and shame attached to mental health. Also, one of my favourite lines in the play went something along the lines of: “Use your words, not your fists.” Hinting how potentially toxic aggression is woven into the construction of masculinity.
Staged at The Royal Exchange Theatre in association with Manchester's Contact Theatre Company, Barber Shop Chronicles was a very good and joyous play for the 21st Century, celebrating and representing the diversity of people living in the United Kingdom and around the world. The actors brought a fresh kind of energy and ebullience to their performances. Probably coming from a place of urgency to get their sentiments off their chest; to shout and sing out what the world needs to hear.
Reviewer - Sam Lowe
on - 11/3/19
Thanks for sharing. Great post very Informative, also checkout Hair House
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