Women at centrestage for Woman Tongue
JAMAICAN theatre remains a male-dominated space. The upcoming play Woman Tongue is therefore a unique treat as a production propelled by female energies on and off the stage. The début play from writer Tanya Batson-Savage, explores the oft taboo subjects of sex, sexuality and older women. The play, fuelled by the talents of some of Jamaica’s most high-powered female actors, will delve into the sacred spaces of discussions by women at the most vulnerable and transitional stages of their lives.
An anthology play comprising seven loosely intersecting pieces, Woman Tongue opens at the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston on April 28, where it will stay for a limited six-show run. It explores love, sex, sexuality, marriage, mother-daughter relationships and other family dynamics, as well as prostitution, beauty and ideas of power.
The cast features five women, each with an impressive portfolio behind their names.
Karen Harriott has had diverse roles ranging from her days as Tiney Winey on Royal Palm Estate, to critically acclaimed plays such as Redemption and Not About Eve. Barbara McCalla has graced the small screen and stages around the globe in productions such as Country of the One-Eyed God, Two Can Play, Masquerade, and Champagne and Sky Juice. Carol Lawes has been a pivotal force in Caribbean theatre for more than four decades, appearing in pieces such asDream on Monkey Mountain, Eight O’Clock Jamaica Time, Odale’s Choice, and Fallen Angel and the Devil’s Concubine. Years later, her current cast member Hilary Nicholson would also perform in Fallen Angel. Nicholson, a founding member of the Sistren Theatre Collective, has performed in Bellywoman Bangarang, and After Mrs Rochester. Bertina Macaulay’s rich body of work includes B ody Moves, Echo in the Bone, Arawak Gold andCool Runnings.
“Often stories about women are not being told by women as both performers and writers,” Scarlette Beharie, the show’s producer, explained. She noted that most of our plays are written by men, so even when they tell women’s stories, the perspective is often skewed.
“This is one of the few productions helmed by women in a number of pivotal capacities. I think this gives a more authentic rendition of the female experience,” Beharie continued.
While the director (Eugene Williams) and lighting designer (John DaCosta) are male, most of the other roles are female. Dancer and choreographer Neila Ebanks directs choreography, Charl Baker handles costume design, while the set is designed by Bryony May Kummer-Seddon.
Batson-Savage explained that she deliberately used a name that conjured the image of women talking.
“I borrowed the name from the woman tongue tree because the name always fascinated me,” she said.
“When the pods on the tree are dry, the wind causes them to make a constant low cacophony of sound. As a society we are obsessed with ideas of women talking too much, being too chatty chatty. Woman Tongue is a space where women freely speak their minds about a variety of things.”
