By: Anastasia Akuffo-AffulENGL 336.002
On Friday December 2nd, 2011 the first opening premiere of the world known play, “Ruined”, by Lynn Nottage, was presented in the F. Perry Smith Studio Theatre of FSU’s Performing Arts Center. Originally, the world premiere of Ruined was produced and commissioned by The Goodman Theatre. Being as though Congo has a lot of terrible issues going on in the country, the play Ruined, displays and demonstrates some of the things that the people of Congo are going through and how they live their lives during these times. Specifically, the play discusses and displays the fact that there is a war in Congo where the women and children are being raped, abused and killed. In fact, more than 50% of the deaths in the country consist of the children of Congo. The soldiers from the war abuse and rape the women, damaging the women’s pride, self image and well-being, leaving them ruined.
During the scenes of the play, they present the main character, Latia Stokes, playing the role of Mama Nadi, who is the owner of a bar/hotel in Congo during the wartime. Mama Nadi took in raped and abused women and provided them with shelter, clothing, and food, but she also used them as prostitutes when soldiers from the war came to the bar as a way to get her more money and to keep her business up and running. Mama Nadi, saw this as a way out for the girls she prostituted because instead of the girls being out on their own on the street and being raped and abused, she brought them in to shelter them and keep them from the cold, dangerous streets of war.
Apart from the heavily intriguing and enticing play, you can’t help but admit the play’s setting and decorations. Upon arrival at the entrance of the play, the doors were creatively designed with sparkling bright lights and things as such, as if it was a real bar in Africa. The doors had leaves and colorful paintings on them, as well as the sand on the floor, the wooden chairs and tables and bar table, which all gave the feeling and atmosphere as if you were sitting in a real bar joint in Africa. It was impeccably and strategically constructed, from the wooden carved shacks representing bedrooms, to the paintings and one word sayings in French dialect on the walls. Just by looking at the actors and actresses and being so close to the stage, you can actually imagine yourself being in the scene and feel everything that was being portrayed, which it made that much more tantalizing.
After the show, some of the actors and actresses maneuvered through the crowd of people who had came to see the show. With sights set on speaking to the star and main character of the play, Mama Nadi (Latia Stokes on the right in the picture on the left corner), came waltzing in with a charming smile into the reception area. Approaching her was delightful and the anxiety to interview her was becoming so overdue. A simple greeting with a handshake and chuckles here and there was how the interview began. Mama Nadi was asked, “How did you feel playing your role as the head actor and embracing all the issues that were going on?” She replied with assurance and enthusiasm, “in the beginning, after finding out more and more research about Congo and what was taking place there, I felt over whelmed and questioned myself as to how I was going to take all the information learned and mesh it into one character; it seemed impossible. But when the show came about, I felt exhausted, along with my body aching and voice feeling hoarse. Overall, it played well into my character because she, (Mama Nadi), was tired of men pushing her around and telling her what to do. Towards the end of the show, I get so tired that I end up crying and actually feeling the pain and hurt my character was feeling.”
Ending our conversation on a good note and managing to catch an audience member to get a response from the outside looking in, I stumbled upon a perfect candidate. After approaching and introducing ourselves, we proceeded to conduct the interview with such enthusiasm and delight. “How did you feel about the show as a whole?” she was asked. Interviewee, Faith Ayeni answered, “I felt touched by the show because it’s a true story of the type of cruelty happening to women in Congo and it’s sad that women were so ruined by the soldiers. The actors did so well because I could almost see what was going on through the play that I forgot that were only acting. Mama Nadi was so bitter at first that I thought she was just a mean bitch, but it’s because she too was ruined and she hated men for that. She just wanted to live and stop running. I felt like she didn’t have to make the females that she took into her place, sleep with men, but in a way it was better than being out there where the war was happening. In many ways I felt like I was a part of the story and it made me so sad that I shed tears.”
Judging by the look on everybody else’s facial expressions, they were all touched by the play in their own way. This play is a must see by any and everyone, being as though there are many viewings during this up coming week, there is no reason why nobody shouldn’t go and see this spectacular showing. It will bring you laughter, make you sad, angry and touched all at the same time. It is a definite must see.
To get more info on the play Ruined, visit this
website: http://www.theatreinchicago.com/playdetail.php?playID=2915
And to watch a clip as well visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSwUCdHQ2gc&feature=related
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