Naima Khan reviews Bola Agbaje's expansive look at identity in Belong at Royal Court
In Belong, the most mature of her plays so far, Bola Agbaje does what all good writers do – she gives us new angles from which to consider a timeless issue. But the abrupt ending to Belong and the amount of ground it covers leaves her audience hungry for more and proves we're eager to look at her ideas in greater depth.
The perspective she takes comes from a world we have created, one in which Nigeria is prospering beyond expectation, Western-educated Nigerians return in their thousands and corruption is spread through every continent, often in the name of diplomacy. For her exploration of identity in this climate, Bola introduces us to Kayode (Lucien Msamati) an MP living in the fallout of a failed campaign and a lack of faith from his constituents.
In one of the most telling scenes, Kayode has to have it explained to him in very simple terms that his harsh, conservative political stance has placed him among the “coconuts”, which explains his unpopularity among the black community he wants to serve.
With this term Bola introduces an ill-defined measurement of how non-white people see other non-white people and a discussion of how much value they give each of their identities. It made me ask whether this common intra-racial term goes against multiculturalism. Does it mean you can choose to be “white on the inside” and face inevitable consequences of exclusion from your heritage community? Or are you willingly excluding yourself from that community?
In Kayode's wife's case it seems to be both, but Rita (Norma Dumezweni) doesn't care. Until, that is, Kayode starts talking about returning to Nigeria, a place she feels she doesn't belong. His return to his mother's home opens up a new world of corruption for a man who is a politician at heart. It also gives an already funny play greater comedic planes, as we meet Kayode's animated mother via an award-worthy performance from Pamela Nomvete. In Mama there is ambition, hope, tradition, and a heavy dose of hilariously excessive religiosity which demonstrates Bola's skill as she guides us from this exaggerated display of emotion to sincere prayer, making it clear when to point and laugh and when to stop and think.
This return to Nigeria also unleashes a can of international issues about modern day imperialism and developing countries getting themselves off the ground without Western involvement. What follows is a discussion of “black crusaders” with “white views” and an interesting conversation about “English hustlers” with a Nigerian definition of hustling is lauded as a cultural trait. There's also a very frank answer to that eternal question, “where are you from?”
Exploring identity in theatre isn't new, but there is something fresh here: the idea of a prospering Nigeria and its international inhabitants who don't believe in multiculturalism provides a new starting point – one that is tackled deftly if not deeply in Belong.
Belong, which is commissioned and co-produced by Tiata Fahodzi, runs at Royal Court until 26th May and will then run at Bussey Builing as part of Royal Court Theatre Local.
More in Theatre:
Tenet at Gate Theatre
The Conquest of the South Pole at Arcola Theatre
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