The “Goddess” of music falls to earth within the spotty world premiere musical now at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
The deity (performed by Amber Iman) hides out on the Moto Moto nightclub in Mombasa, Kenya, because the nightclub diva Nadira, and is quickly casting a sultry spell on all assembled along with her enchanting vocals. The Afro-jazz songstress definitely bewitches Omari (Phillip Johnson Richardson), a would-be politician from a strong household, recent out of the Ivy League.
However that’s the place the magic ends on this inconsistent manufacturing, conceived and directed by Saheem Ali. The Broadway-bound staging shortly squanders the searing warmth and light-weight of its exuberant opening quantity, a pulsing valentine to Mombasa, framed by Arnulfo Maldonado’s evocative set design and Dede Ayite’s beautiful costumes.
Iman sings like an angel and she or he’s definitely obtained a heavenly presence, however she has little in the best way of appearing chops. That flaw is magnified by thinly-sketched characters, a formulaic plot and much too many generic ballads.
The narrative is impressed by Kenyan mythology, the thriller of the goddess Marimba, however this fascinating lore by no means feels deeply explored.
As a substitute the play (e book by Jocelyn Bioh, finest identified for “Faculty Women; Or, The African Imply Women Play”) too typically trades in drained tropes reminiscent of a cookie-cutter love triangle involving a jealous hothead, Modongo (Lawrence Stollings), an inheritor obvious (Richardson) bending to the household’s will and an formidable girl bent on being the facility behind the throne, Cheche (Destinee Rea).
A number of climactic interludes really feel under-developed (notably the ending). Maybe if there have been extra palpable chemistry between the leads, these faults can be much less irksome.
The sidekick romance between a feisty bartender Rashida (Abena) and the panting emcee Ahmed (Rodrick Covington) has sufficient effervescent flirtatious oomph to make up for its predictability. These two threaten to steal the present with their quirky rom-com vibe.
Because the shaman Balozi, the estimable Reggie D. White grounds the supernatural parts within the staging with a way of gravitas. Extra delving into the battle between the magical and the mundane would elevate the stakes right here.
General, nonetheless, it’s onerous to take a position emotionally in such saucer-shallow characters in a narrative that feels stretched out too lengthy.
Many of the plot feels caught within the humdrum world of upper-crust political fundraisers, picture ops and parental guilt journeys when it could be way more compelling to discover the wrestle a goddess would have coming to phrases with life on Earth. We by no means get look inside what drives the goddess and whether or not or not she is pissed off along with her life on this mortal realm. Her seek for real love doesn’t lower deep sufficient. Too lots of the solo anthems additionally really feel generic.
The actual sorcery right here is within the beat (music and lyrics by Michael Thurber). There are a lot of buoyant moments when the refrain, a grio trio of Awa Sal Secka, Teshomech and Melessie Clark float off on an ethereal concord or when Iman electrifies the viewers along with her formidable pipes. If the remainder of the present have been elevated to the extent of these celestial moments, “Goddess” would deserve extra worship.
Contact Karen D’Souza at karenpdsouza@yahoo.com.
‘GODDESS’
World premiere musical conceived and directed by Saheem Ali, e book by Jocelyn Bioh, music and lyrics by Michael Thurber; introduced by Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Via: Sept. 25
The place: Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley
Operating time: 2 hours, half-hour, one intermission
Tickets: $30-$138; 510-647-2949, www.berkeleyrep.org