Dysfunction Breeds Another great play
Dysfunctional families make great theatre, and How Black Mothers Say I Love You is no exception. The latest play by Toronto’s Trey Anthony is a powerful and touching followup to her popular da Kink in My Hair, which was one of those rare productions that went from stage to television a decade ago.
Once again, Anthony draws from personal experience in developing strong female characters. Both her mother and grandmother left their children at home for years while they found domestic work in other countries, an experience shared by women of colour around the world.
As Anthony demonstrates so convincingly, this is not a healthy situation for families. The play centres around mom Daphne, who’s suffering from cancer and refuses chemotherapy, and the bumpy relationship with her two adult daughters, Claudette and Valerie, along with ghostly appearances by a third, long-deceased daughter, the beloved Cloe. Hard-working and God-fearing, Daphne left her two school-aged daughters in Jamaica for six years to work in Canada. It was her only opportunity to seek a better life for them, she insists, but they have never quite forgiven her, although their pain and resentment plays out in different ways.
Feisty Claudette lives in Montreal and is gay, something her mother has a hard time accepting, while dutiful daughter Valerie lives close to her mother in Toronto and is supposed to be happily married to a successful, white businessman, keeping up the pretence even when she learns of his affair.
Sibling rivalry simmers as Daphne lays on the guilt trip. The daughters long to hear words of unconditional love from their mother, but ‘I love you’ doesn’t come easily for her. As the title indicates, of course, one of the play’s themes explores alternate expressions of love, whether it’s leaving the ham bone out of the stewed peas for one’s vegetarian offspring, or finding the perfect hat for a fashion-challenged daughter to wear to church.
Cultural details like those make the play feel real, as does the terrific set design. The family drama takes place in a home that’s infused with a vintage Caribbean vibe, from the bright, tropical hues on the walls to the beaded curtains. Adding to the atmosphere are the reggae, dancehall and Drake tunes pumping from the radio on top of the fridge.
Both director and cast are new to GCTC audiences. Director Kimberley Rampersad keeps things moving smoothly, despite the overly long first act. Of the cast, the standout is Lucinda Davis as Daphne, who gives a wonderful performance, nailing the Jamaican accent, religious fervour and the once-unwavering conviction that mother knows best. As Claudette, Malube brings a regal stage presence, but stumbled over a couple of lines. Samantha Walkes’ beautiful but insecure Valerie is rendered with a touch of comedic exaggeration, which, with some well-timed one-liners, helps lighten the mood.
But my favourite element is the ghostly Cloe, a young woman in a knee-length white dress, who flits wordlessly throughout the play, waiting to bring her mother
to the other side. The magical being represents death, yes, but also the eternity of a mother’s love — through any form of separation.