Sojourners NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
'Sojourners' and 'Her Portmanteau' comprise a two-part theatrical event running in rep at New York Theatre Workshop. They're part of 'The Ufot Cycle,' a nine-play saga chronicling the matriarch of a Nigerian family.
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See it if A window into immigrant values in '70's, but some of the plot points are not explained. The actors are wonderful as is the staging. Partner
Don't see it if with Her Portmanteau for an evocative theater experience.
See it if you appreciate new voices with content that illuminates worlds you don't know, good actors and a script that tackles tough stuff.
Don't see it if You don't want to work a little to understand the Nigerian accents, have little patience for some annoying stereotypes. Read more
See it if you are strongly interested in immigration stories and have a lot of patience.
Don't see it if you tire quickly with extended exposition and are looking for a fully resolved drama.
See it if you don't know much about, but are interested in immigrant experiences. It's a decent (if overlong) primer. FYI, it's Part 1 of 9 plays.
Don't see it if you aren't interested in immigrant experiences. You want a tight script or can't sit still 2.5 hrs (it needs cuts, you feel the length). Read more
See it if you like "important" theater. Cast is strong but story is very confusing. It's one of 9 parts but should stand on its own and it doesn't
Don't see it if you don't like indulgent self-important capital-T Theater. You don't like loose ends. You don't like "event" theater. Read more
See it if like good set story about adapting to new homeland and culture.
Don't see it if want characters that are more developed and a storyline that is better told.
See it if You want a visceral performance and story of someone finding their place in a new world.
Don't see it if You mind cliffhangers
See it if you like dramatic, yet uplifting and humorous stories about families and family dynamics.
Don't see it if You like big, Broadway productions and hate family dramas.
Critic Reviews (33)
"'Sojourners' lacks the charm and immediacy of 'Her Portmanteau.' It’s too long at more than two and a half hours, and the characters and their situations feel more standard and predictable. The narrative is also far too choppy, bouncing around from scene to scene without a smooth flow. Even the soundtrack is less interesting...However, despite the disappointing 'Sojourners,' we’re very much looking forward to the next chapter in this family drama."
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"Performances are top-notch...Ms. Ogbuagu was magnificent in her portrayal of Abasiama - strong, touching, and human...My only complaint is that there was not enough exposition as to whom these characters were. We went almost 75 minutes without ever being told who the man at his desk was (Disciple) and how he fit into the story...Thankfully things cleared up by the end but a few frustrated audience members left at the intermission."
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“Though the result, as shaped by director Ed Sylvanus Iskandar and dramaturg Janice Paran, is often excruciatingly dry, the plays demand a witnessing of their American immigrants’ stories…The plays’ micro-drama needs a lively staging to offset its sedateness, but Iskandar has gone in the opposite direction…The scripts could equally benefit from a trim…The dramatic stagnation echoes the languor of their precarious situation, but makes for torpid drama.”
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"Ms. Udofia has writerly gifts, but at this point, they are not particularly theatrical...It persists in making the same points and accomplishing the same tasks...The director, Ed Sylvanus Iskandar, tries to remedy some of these deficits by encouraging his cast to play nearly every moment with paramount intensity. This has the perverse result of making most of the scenes play the same…The vital and necessary work of drama crouched inside all of these scenes and speeches hasn’t yet emerged."
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"Stiff-moving and overwritten...'Sojourners' is the first in a projected nine-play cycle. That’s a big project, and she’s bound to learn crucial lessons about pacing, exposition and subtext, all off which unfold awkwardly or go missing in the present draft, despite a spirited ensemble under boldfaced direction. At two and a half hours, the play is too novelistic and interior to succeed as a dynamic drama. The characters are on compelling journeys; they just need a clearer road map."
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"Disappointed in both Playwrights Realm and director Ed Iskandar. I was dumbfounded that this particular play was chosen for production...Iskander’s direction appeared to be including the design of the set which was cumbersome and confining...Over written, slow-paced, and lacks clear plot points. These characters make the same points over and over again...The conclusion of the play is so unbelievable that it made me think I had fallen asleep and missed a significant plot point."
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"Sometimes, the circumstances of a play don't need to be completely obvious in order to tell a captivating story. Such is the case with 'Sojourners,' a world premiere that cleverly draws the viewer into its mystery. By the end, you'll be hooked...Through sensitive prose delivered in memorable performances, these sojourners seem real, their specific anxieties achingly familiar...While the characters are crystal clear, the circumstances bringing them together are murkier."
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"It's always a pleasure to come across a playwright with a fresh set of characters and a compelling tale to tell...Part of the pleasure of watching 'Sojourners' lies in trying to figure out where the narrative is going; the good news is Udofia confidently guides them all to a denouement that is as surprising as it is satisfying...The rest of the production, with one exception, is equally thoughtful and accomplished."
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