Trouble on the horizon: Jennifer Saayeng (Ree) and Allyson Ava-Brown (Bo). Photo Credit Robert Day.
Theatre: Theatre Royal Stratford East
Play: The Etienne Sisters
Playwright: Che Walker
Director: Che Walker
Review by Joy Francis
Female sibling rivalry, festering resentments and grief are all on bold display in Che Walker’s latest musical endeavour The Etienne Sisters.
Eldest sister Tree (an intense Nina Toussaint-White) and little sister Ree (Jennifer Saayeng) are mourning the loss of their Christian mother to cancer. At the memorial, half sister Bo (a vibrant Allyson Ava-Brown) shows up like a bad smell, much to the annoyance of Tree and the reluctant delight of Ree.
Tree believes she is Ree’s protector from all things Bo, who she calls a jelly fish. “Impossible to get rid of . No brain but she stings.” Bo, who was last seen by her half sisters five years ago, has a tendency to attract trouble with a career history in ‘thievery’ and hard drugs. “I found myself in some hard corners, trust,” she pleads.
Keen to make amends, Bo manipulates her way back into the family. She even wins over Tree, who feels isolated and worn down by her uninspiring job as a supermarket cashier, when her talent and passion is for playing the violin. “I’m tired of my own war.”
The harmonious sisterhood doesn’t last long as the violently disturbed underworld figure Duvivier shows up on their doorstep looking for Bo, putting Tree’s life at risk. What follows triggers some dark revelations which transform all of their lives, for good.
Ti Green’s stark, haunting set relies on minimal lighting and props, aside from bundles of chairs arranged in a pile, as if waiting to be lit for a bonfire. An extra layer of atmosphere is added by the grainy black and white video projections from Louis Price, which dominate the sizeable rear wall and breath life into the missing characters, such as the mother and grey-eyed demon Duvivier.
Internal war: Nina Toussaint-White (Tree). Photo Credit Robert Day.
With just three actors, the vast stage leaves them exposed, like their characters’ gaping emotional wounds. Musically accompanied by just a fiery pianist, glamorous jazz musician Nikki Yeoh, the actors work hard to fill the expansive space while keeping the audience engaged and connected to their collective and individual stories. Occasional monologues showcase their inner turmoil, especially the complex Bo who struggles to shake off her anger at being left to grow up with a crack-addicted mother.
The performances are filled with chemistry, aided by some memorably funny and traumatic dialogue from Walker. Ava-Brown is an emotional firecracker, full of energy and plays Bo with flair and relish. Toussaint-White, though not as strong a singer as Ava-Brown and Saayeng, makes up for it with a persuasive performance as the unfulfilled, hyper-critical Tree. As for Saayeng, her enchanting soulful voice initially overshadows her acting, but she grows more solid and captivating as the show progresses.
As with any musical, the songs are key. Written by Anoushka Lucas and Sheila Atim, they take in jazz, gospel with an eclectic and chaotic dance track reflecting Bo’s self destructive nature. Beautifully sung, are any of the songs memorable? The final one Three, sung with deep passion by all three actors, appears to be the winner.
Its gospel-tones, tinged with loss and regret, resonates with the audience as men and women sing and hum the chorus as they depart. A promising sign for a show billed as a play with music.
The Etienne Sisters is a soulful, emotionally searing and worthwhile experience.
The Etienne Sisters is at Theatre Royal Stratford East until Saturday 3 October 2015.