With stunning production and a star studded cast, ‘Not Your Superwoman’ is a thoughtful meditation on mother/daughter dynamics in the Black community
‘Not Your Superwoman’ written and created by Emma Dennis-Edwards and co-created and directed by Lynette Linton is premiering at the Bush theatre this autumn, already with a sold-out run. The play follows mother and daughter Joyce and Erica as they travel to Guyana after the death of their matriarch, Elaine. As the play unfolds, Joyce and Erica address some of their deepest issues, which become contextualised against deep intergenerational dynamics, as some of Elaine’s past struggles are also revealed.
The two-hander stars two unstoppable forces in the industry: Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte) as Joyce and Letitia Wright (Black Panther) as Erica. Having only seen them on screen and knowing of their capacity for powerful performances, it was promising to see that this was most definitely translated to their performances on stage. Their dynamic sizzled with subtext and nuance, with both of them at points playing Elaine with thoughtful cohesion, although establishing the embodiment of Elaine’s character could have been leaned into more in the production. Their mannerisms and the visual echoes in the story were at their best when the actors played their main roles.
Rosheuvel shone with pitch perfect precision, and side-splintering comedic timing, leaving space for some of the heavier scenes to breathe. Wright was an equal match, countering the portrayal of her character’s mother with an endearing youth that becomes hardened as the play continues.
What astounded perhaps the most was how the stage contorted as a site of memory, bleeding the past within the present and using lighting, projection and prop work to create whole worlds, from the stunning waterfalls in Guyana to the close confines of a plane. This eased the transitions which took us in and out of the present seamlessly, thanks to Alex Berry (Set), Jai Morjaria (Lighting) and Gino Ricardo Green (Video).
The story itself started off strong with a witty, insightful script from Dennis-Edwards, showcasing some of the underlying pain that comes from mother/daughter relationships. Intergenerational differences, uncommunicated frustration and repressed emotion came spilling out with good pacing, especially at the beginning. However, as the play went on, it became difficult to ascertain how Elaine’s story fit into their dynamic, with big plot points introduced without as much exploration as they deserved. The flashback scenes especially felt like they were distracting from some of the pain in the present dynamics, disrupting the build up and making the ending less impactful. The writing at times could have left more room for subtext.
Echoes and repetition were used in the production in meaningful ways, however, and the play overall feels like a timely dissection of the current moment Black women find themselves in; not paying attention to unexpressed anger and grief, disproportionately experiencing auto-immune disease and race-related stress lead to early death. It is refreshing to see such a direct tackling of the important subject with honesty and cultural nuance. The added context of intergenerational dialogue in the play provided an important insight into how we got where we are today.