NOVA
Think of Giacomo #Casanova – the notorious 18th-century playboy – then toss that image aside🗑️ & make way for #Nova🤩, our modern-day #femmefatale. Written & performed by the electric Obehi Janice, NOVA captures the escapades of a Nigerian-American comedian as she unravels tales of her romances…
Sitting at the crossroads of a #solo dramatic act & an intimate comedy session, the show masterfully balances @obehijanice 's personal stories with incisive observations about modern dating. A mosaic of past lovers comes to life through recurring motifs – the bespectacled man, musical pretensions, and most poignantly, the overwhelming call to female camaraderie…
👉🏽One subtle yet salient motif? Most of Obehi’s encounters “happen” to her, an interesting relationship with romantic agency that reminds us of some of #JeanRhys’ tragic heroines. Such details serve as reminders of the play’s overarching theme: the omnipresent male gaze that pervades Black #femininity…
Obehi's homage to Casanova, whom she both critiques & venerates, subtly portrays her desire for the same audacity that allowed him to pen a 12-volume anthology of his conquests📚 This fascination culminates in a #metatheatrical twist, as we realize that NOVA itself is Obehi's counter-manifesto. What if she was to create her own tome? Would it be an even grander, more audacious opus than Casanova’s? Perhaps, as we are witnessing, it already is…
Beyond the #humour, there's a cerebrality to NOVA. The performance is an examination of agency, identity, and the deeply embedded societal perspectives on gender & race. Tying it all together is Obehi's dynamic stage presence. With dynamic confidence, she steers the audience through her world, every word, pause, and glance meticulously planned & executed…
In essence, NOVA isn’t just about redefining narratives but reclaiming them. It’s a show that makes us laugh, introspect, and, most importantly, recognize the power in the stories we choose to tell. 4/5⭐
📷 Stuart Armitt
🎭 @lyceumedinburgh
#edfringe23 #edfringe #fillyerboots