Stage Plays
Stage Play Review: The Boy Called A Girl – A cassock can cover a man’s skin but never their character!
Whoever says that there aren’t many prospects in the theater arts in Ghana is clearly yet to become a proselyte of this art form and its power to not only entertain and educate but also to shape minds and also change lives.
‘The Boy Called A girl’ serves as the very well anticipated return of playwright Kobina Ansah and his Scribe Communications team after their last play Tribeless (read review here).
The play tells the story of Pastor Ronny, a revered man of God who always wanted a daughter so bad that he names his only son “Ewura”. After many years of being a model citizen to his community with the work he does changing the lives of addicts with his dance centre, secrets that he has fought long to hide rear their heads and he must go to all extends to keep them hidden. Especially from his son Ewura.
Ewura, was raised like a girl although he was born a boy, leading to him being rejected by several of his peers. His confused state of his identity leads to him being sexually abused by a pastor who does nothing to help the confuse boy find his true self. But he is still strong and fights his battles silently. At least on the blind side of his father; a very flawed man of God who only covers his skin with the cassock but doesn’t live its virtues besides his works helping people out of their addictions in his dance school. He is blinded to his own addictions and afflictions and yet seeks to always help other out of theirs, like a perfect man.
The play unearths the hypocrisy and imperfections that some men of God are shrouded with and also touches on every individual is addicted to something that could slowly and steadily developed into a bad obsession.
The entire play is set in Pastor Ronny’s Dance Factory. Which was detailed by a well laid-out set design that allowed for various parts of the story to be seamlessly told and enacted in either the reception, the main dance studio or Pastor Ronny’s office.
Also, the choice of songs used in the play were spot on as they complemented the scenarios, mood and the reactions of the actors on stage.
There were some issues with the sound for the first act making the most of Efe’s dialogue a bit inaudible, but that was resolved in the nick of time so we could still get the import of all that was about to on fold.
Although the set was beautifully designed and well lit, the bands men seemed to pose a bit of a distraction to us seated on the higher levels in the auditorium who could see them directly. As most of them seem to have forgotten they were part of the production so were either taking pictures or making phone calls.
We will rate this play 3.8 out of 5 stars. It was decent blend of good acting, music and dancing as well as several hidden nuggets of wisdom for you to take home. The dialogue is a good mix of wit, swipes at societal norms and issues whilst also delivering some very contextualized scriptures to give weight to the play’s message.
Although the plays title seems a bit confusing, it makes a whole lot sense by the time it starts to climax. Especially, once its subtle messages have settled and simmered into your subconscious.
This eleven-cast musical stage play could certainly be Kobina Ansah‘s best work yet and we are eager to see what he brings next to the National theater.
If you were not any of the two showings of this play over the weekend, then you missed a good one. Don’t hesitate to go see it the next time it is being staged for the many lessons you could pick up from it.
You can also share with us your thoughts on this play in the comments section below.
