waiting for a train at the bus stop
Mwansa Phiri’s “waiting for a train at the bus stop” paints a beautifully complex portrait of the black female experience and places her in conversation with some of the most notable black femme playwrights. If the all-lowercase title reminds you of Ntozake Shange’s poetic choreoplay “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf”, the association is apt. “waiting for a train…” mirrors a similar poetic aesthetic, delving into themes of intimacy, vulnerability, and defiance…
Phiri employs a captivating blend of spoken word, multimedia, and traditional oral storytelling to bring to life Chili, a British-Zambian woman ensnared in the complexities of identity and coercive control. Ghanaian playwright Ama Ata Aidoo's style reverberates in the narrative, particularly in Phiri's use of proverbs and folklore. While drawing from different traditions—Aidoo from Akan and Phiri from Zambian—there's a kindred spirit in their exploration of female agency. Much like the protagonists in Aidoo's "The Dilemma of a Ghost", Chili grapples with clashing cultural identities and societal expectations…
The echoes don't end with Aidoo. Phiri’s evocative dialogue is reminiscent of emotional “waves” found in Suzan Lori-Parks' "Topdog/Underdog", dipping and rolling between mundane conversations and profound introspections about love and societal pressures…
Yet, while @visualsauceco's #waitingforatrain may parallel the works of its theatrical predecessors, it distinctly stands out. Phiri bridges #Zambian traditions with contemporary multimedia, crafting a fresh narrative on age-old themes…
Ultimately, Chili's tale walks a tightrope between joy and tragedy. Her entrapment in an abusive relationship serves as a chilling reminder that resilience and vulnerability can coexist in the most spirited of individuals. By the climax, an audience that was once introduced to a vivacious character is left grappling with the haunting uncertainty of her fate...
Phiri gracefully interlaces her narrative with the legacies of her theatrical foremothers, to create a compelling yet haunting #EdFringe23 viewing experience. 4/5
#edfringe #FillYerBoots #spokenword #blacktheatre