Sojourners NYC Reviews and Tickets

“The most compelling element of this double header is the concept...The facts of this story are often illogical as well as not written clearly. This work has been in development for some time, and the only explanation I can come up with is that Iskandar and Udofia are too close to the material...The cast does what it can, but they are not able to keep this production afloat…The intent of this story is spectacular and clear as a bell. As it stands now, the execution does not live up to it.”
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"A master class in acting...At a time when immigration is one of the most prevalent topics, these plays hit particularly hard and, even in their slower moments, one cannot help but be completely captivated by the expertly executed performances delivered by every member of the cast...Udofia’s script is authentic and sometimes raw, and Iskandar honors these elements, letting certain moments linger for a bit too long...The uniformly excellent performances maintain the momentum."
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“Directed with skill and focus by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar…The images are ripe with emotion...Abasiama is played with grace and maternal glory by the magnificent Chinasa Ogbuagu…A moving play…The last seconds unsettled my heart. I was not prepared for what happened, nor what it would mean for the rest of these characters' lives, but that is the beauty of Udofia’s writing. The surprise that lives in the authentic-ness; a power that packs quite the punch.”
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"I think it is more effective to see the end before the beginning, given the cycle’s themes of tracing the present back to the past. But I wonder if seeing the plays in chronological order would have cast Abasiama’s actions as revealed in 'Portmanteau' in a more nuanced light...In 'Sojourners', we see her story unfold in context and judge it through our own lenses...The video projections of water in 'Sojourners' really didn’t add meaning for me, but instead seemed very obvious."
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"Exquisitely crafted and skillfully performed...Under Iskandar’s judicious and redemptive direction, the resplendent cast grapples with the complex dynamics of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation with authenticity and deeply palpable believability...Not only poignant tales of the deep relationship between a mother and her estranged daughter but also compelling examinations of the complex and intricate reasons individuals leave their homelands for other lands."
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“If these two plays are uneven, they offer the promise of an eventually enlightening and binge-worthy family saga that updates the story of Immigrant America...‘Sojourners’ is strongest when it offers a glimpse, sometimes humorously, into the immigrant characters’ two cultures…If ‘Sojourners’ has the same overlong and unwieldy construction, there is noticeable improvement. It’s not any shorter, but its staging is smoother."
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“So well acted...Ms. Udofia layers her characters with such depth. By the end of the play we know these people, we understand their wants, their desires, flawed as they are. What Ms. Udofia has failed to do is write a complete ending and she leaves the audience hanging. Calleri Casting really out did themselves with this ensemble cast who could not have been better.”
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“The play has some narrative bumps, but is carried along by the excellent acting. I did feel that the ending was so underwritten that its import might be missed…Loren Shaw’s costumes befit the characters well. Director Ed Sylvander Iskandar keeps the actors going at full throttle too much of the time…Both plays have flaws, but the strong performances make them worth a visit.”
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