Becoming Again presents an intimate exploration of parenthood through the parallel journeys of two strangers whose paths illuminate the full spectrum of human experience surrounding birth, loss, and renewal. This hour-long production juxtaposes profound joy with devastating grief, creating a theatrical space where audiences confront the complex realities of becoming, and sometimes losing, what we hope to become.
The play’s structure effectively weaves together the narratives of Baraka (Gadwill Odhiambo) and Amani (Suki Wanza), two characters whose experiences represent opposite poles of the parenting journey. Baraka embodies hope and transformation as he prepares to break cycles of paternal absence, from attending antenatal classes and embracing his role as a father from conception through delivery. His arc celebrates the possibility of men stepping beyond traditional heroic narratives to find meaning in presence and vulnerability.
Amani’s journey, by contrast, transforms her body into a battleground and ultimately a crime scene. Her experience of miscarriage at ten weeks, followed by the devastating loss of a full-term child after prolonged labor, explores territory that society often renders invisible. The haunting lullaby “lala toto lala” underscores the cruel irony of singing a child to sleep who will never wake.
The pacing allows these parallel narratives to breathe, with the engaging structure holding the audience’s attention through carefully crafted narration that invites empathy rather than mere observation.
Gadwill Odhiambo delivers a naturally charismatic performance as Baraka, effortlessly embodying joy and humor. His portrayal captures the excitement and nervous energy of impending fatherhood, from the confusion of attending antenatal classes to forgetting the lessons from birthing class when the water broke, to the triumphant moment of snapping into action during delivery. Odhiambo’s performance radiates the infectious optimism of someone genuinely thrilled to play an active role in his son’s life.
Suki Wanza’s portrayal of Amani, however, feels less fully realized. While the material demands an extraordinary emotional range, from hope through devastating loss to the complex process of grieving “something the world said was not even a child”, Suki’s performance sometimes lacks the tonal variation and depth needed to convey these profound experiences fully. The character would have benefited from a more committed exploration of grief’s many faces, trusting the audience to handle the full weight of such raw emotion. As it stands, the performance felt somewhat restrained, requiring the audience to fill in emotional gaps that should have been more fully inhabited on stage.
Director Mercy Koi’s interpretive choices served the material well, employing minimal staging that focused attention squarely on the power of the spoken word. This stripped-down approach allows the narratives themselves to create the necessary imagery, though it also places enormous pressure on the performers to carry the emotional weight.
The design elements work in thoughtful harmony with the themes. Lighting transitions effectively convey shifting emotions, while sound design helps audiences visualize moments beyond what the sparse staging provides. Props are used judiciously and symbolically; Amani’s protective string bracelet, a practice considered to ward off the evil eye in some communities, her journal of affirmations becomes a touching artifact of hope maintained against overwhelming odds, and Baraka’s coffee cup reinforces his easy-going nature.
At its heart, Becoming again grapples with fundamental questions about loss, love, and renewal. The play courageously explores how one grieves something that “was never to be,” and examines the particular cruelty of learning to “say hello and goodbye in the same breath.” It challenges the audience to consider different forms of becoming, not just the biological transformation of pregnancy, but the emotional reclamation that comes through healing.
The themes are communicated, though they occasionally feel familiar rather than revelatory. Lines like “healing is a return to who you were meant to be underneath the ache” resonate with truth. However, the play sometimes settles for recognizable wisdom rather than pushing into more challenging emotional territory.
Becoming again succeeds in creating space for necessary conversations about experiences that are simultaneously universal and deeply personal. It asks the audience to witness, to empathize, and to sit with discomfort, valuable theatrical goals that it largely achieves.
However, the production feels somewhat cautious in its execution. While the playwright has crafted meaningful material, there’s a sense that both script and performance could have ventured deeper into the more difficult emotional territories the play opens. The themes, while important, occasionally feel predictable, a script we’ve encountered before, even if not in exactly this form.
To book exclusive events with a TICKETING PARTNER, check out tickets.sanaapost.com 😎👊🏾
