“JaJa’s…” is the Finest Weave
By Sydney Milligan with Wes Hessel
Tony-nominated first-generation Ghanian-American playwright Jocelyn Bioh’s “JaJa’s African Hair Braiding” is a laugh-out-loud comedy centering around Black women, sisterhood, and the sacred space of the hair salon that provides a stirring commentary on immigration. Ms. Bioh’s writing is exceptional, her humor is superb; she brings this world and these characters to life with such heart, spunk, and sincere understanding.
The set is incredibly well-constructed and imagined to look just like a Harlem hair salon. The set design is so authentic to the look and culture of Black hair establishments, especially braiding salons run by African and Afro-Caribbean expats. It is a vibrantly-colored, fully-functioning beauty shop complete with real products and styling tools. The well-planned and interactive staging completely immerses you in the world of Jaja’s salon.
The costuming is cut from the finest cloth, literally, be it traditional West African garb or neon mesh crop tops and trendy camo pants – the dress truly captures the culture of Harlem and its African immigrant residents. The Tony Award-winning wig and hair design by Nikiya Mathis is skillful and a true reflection of the great diversity and beauty of the Black and African diaspora/Black hair. The lighting, especially during scene transitions, of bright neons and strobes is quite impressive, sweeping you away in all the colors of the city and the salon.
The actors in this show’s ensemble are outstanding, each one an outrageously talented thespian who brings their whole, authentic selves to their performances. They do a remarkable job relating such distinct and dynamic characters, especially the cast members tasked with playing multiple roles. The accent work is fantastic – the performing artists have really done their homework as far as different African dialects to offer the most genuine portrayals of these characters possible.
The production is underscored by some wonderful up-tempo Afrobeats that match the incredibly rhythmic piece and the Harlem immigrant women that it follows. Dance movements, present in some instances, are so striking. The African-inspired choreography is intentional, natural, and jubilant in the moments the women burst into dance – it feels so authentic to the narrative and uplifts the audience whenever it occurs. Award-winning director Whitney White weaves this altogether into a tapestry of transcendent theater – “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” is surely not to be missed; the shop is only open for a limited time (‘til February 2nd), so please go to www.chicagoshakes.com for tickets or more information.
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