Barber Shop Chronicles makes its New York and BAM Debut in Next Wave 2019
On Wednesday, December 3, 2019, opening night for The Barber Shop Chronicles by Nigerian-born playwright Inua Ellams made its New York and BAM debut.The groundbreaking work lifts the curtain on a universal meeting space for Black men: the barber shop.
The New York premiere of Inua Ellams’ Barber Shop Chronicles — a show that explores Black masculinity across five African cities and London. The Nigerian born playwright traveled across Africa with his microphone, recording 60 hours of male banter in six countries for an intimate and touching conversational piece that undercuts stereotypes of Black masculinity. He brings these stories to stage using music and dance sequences to shift through the different scenes/locations.
The sold-out sensation explores the diversity of Black male identity via the intimate community of the barber shop, where men across the African diaspora have gathered for 2 generations to discuss the world and their lives. Filled with passion, humor, and honesty, the celebrated work is inspired by Ellams’ own experiences as an immigrant.
Directed by Bijan Sheibani, Barber Shop Chronicles follows the conversations and concerns of a group of African men as they interact in six different barber shops in London, Lagos,Johannesburg, Accra, Kampala, and Harare.
The all-male, 12-person cast riffs on topics both personal and political — from sports to race relations to views about fatherhood, identity, immigration, and masculinity. Music and dance knit together the individual episodes in this fastpaced production. A mastery of humor, pace, and wit, the story takes place over a single day as characters, jokes, and plotlines traverse continents and cultures.
The show is live, enjoyable and energetic, but also deals with serious topics that people can listen to and some where some audience members can identify with in their ow lives.
The show is a definite must-see and it was a privilege to go on this journey with these very talented and distinctive men.
