A Comedy With No Direction

The North House production of Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again, a Nigerian comedy by Ola Rotimi, is generally amusing but suffers from a weak backup cast and unassertive direction.

Directed by Anton Quist, Our Husband, a slapstick comedy set in Nigeria, revolves around Rahman Taslim Lejoka-Brown. In keeping with Nigerian custom, which allows a man to have as many wives as he can handle, Lejoka-Brown has two--well, three actually, but Liza, who lives in America, thinks she is the only one. Her arrival in Nigeria provides the spark for comical confusion, as Lejoka-Brown struggles to maintain his home and political career.

Quist evidently has little control over the inconsistencies permeating his show. Editing of some of the melodramatic, hackneyed lines could have improved this production. The actors display only a vague notion of how vital the character interaction is, and the resulting performance lacks the rhythm so essential to comedy.

But talented leads almost redeem this lackluster show. Vincent Yao Adzovie shines in the part of Lejoka-Brown, enlivening this production with his timing and enthusiasm. Christine Omodi-Engola convincingly portrays the stabilizing force of the show, Mama Rashida. Although Abigail Kolodny, as Liza, offers the audience some priceless facial expressions, it soon becomes apparent that these are a dime-a-dozen, and she quickly uses up the few she has. One of the most comical aspects of the play is the presence of Okonkwo, Lejoka-Brown's sidekick, played by Eliott Fan. His acting is competent but his character seems out of place.

As for the smaller roles in this play, the director seems to challenge the idea that there are no small parts, only small actors--here there are both. One example is the minor role played by Thomas James Norman as the BBC correspondent.

The uninspired set and at times clumsy blocking of Our Husband impair the audience's ability to appreciate the full scope of the show. Our Husband is a funny play with a cultural twist. Unfortunately, this presentation rides on the formidable talent of a few individuals and lacks necessary coherence. Adzovie and Omodi-Engola are to be commended, but even their performances cannot repair this flawed production.