The Homecoming Queen

See it if you're interested in Nigerian life. THC is rich w/music, clothing, Igbo, attitudes (some lovely, some ugly). Well-staged, well-plotted.

Don't see it if you want fully likable characters or a brisk pace. Carping at ea other is presented as ok. Forgiveness granted for dad's cruel response.Why?

See it if you enjoy family sagas set in Africa with a hint of mystery and misdirection, "return to home" stories, romance with personal barriers

Don't see it if you don't enjoy "family" plays that are slow to reveal its secrets & jump around in time, take place in a culture that may discomfort you,

See it if you enjoy plays that jump around from the present to the past to magical realism. You enjoy plays that say you can go home again.

Don't see it if you find it challenging to follow when a play is in the present or past. You are not interested in different cultures.

Also Beautifully staged. Ngozi Anyanwu is a writer to keep your eye on. Although this is not a perfect script, she is defined for greater things. Kudos to the Atlantic for bringing us this new writer. Note: the seating in this theatre is very uncomfortable.... Read more Read less

See it if you're interested in cultural differences between LA and Nigeria; a woman's experiences as a child and how it shapes her; joy and tears.

Don't see it if you don't care for family themes, a tale that jumps around in time and can be confusing; moving away from home doesn't always make u happy.

See it if you like plays that make you think, that aren't strictly linear, and have great design elements, terrific acting, and have something to say

Don't see it if you are looking for a big brashy musical or a romantic comedy. There is a lot of music & comedy in this, but it is woven into the play.

See it if a story about going home (Nigeria) and facing painful memories; Nigerian culture with its language, dress, customs..

Don't see it if you don't like moving family dramas, want something uplifting, want chorus in one location

Also The chorus act as members of the extended family and they are frequently not on the center stage but throughout the theater. They are wonderful and add to the atmosphere.... Read more Read less

See it if You particularly enjoy a return to damaged roots type story with all the elements turned up to eleven.

Don't see it if You like a touch of subtlety and would prefer protagonist to have some redeeming qualities before the magical realist ending

See it if You have appreciated the myriad of African plays by African women on stage over the past six months or you are interested in acculturation.

Don't see it if You are intolerant of uneven pacing or not being able to see all the action, depending on your seat.

Also I wanted to like this more than I did.

See it if you'd like to see a conventional plot in an unconventional setting with some very good acting.

Don't see it if you are looking for something really fresh, insightful and challenging.

See it if you want a fascinating study of another culture that is relevant to our own.

Don't see it if you're not interested in dramas about Africa, women-dominated casts or have difficulty with actors speaking with accents.

See it if you love a good "going home" story told from a different perspective

Don't see it if African drama or stories about trauma are not for you.

See it if you are interested in how people interact and how their pasts can disable and distort their ability to make connections. Well done portrayal

Don't see it if you need a linear plot line. There is a small degree of confusion in timing and in the final scene as to whether it is wishful thinking

See it if You like intense drama & are comfortable exploring regret, fear, vengeance, longing and considering how trauma has shaped your choices

Don't see it if An African centered plot would be a turnoff, if you are looking for something light or if you have recently survived a traumatic experience

Also Ngozi Anyanwu's story begins with the uncomfortable arrival of Kelechi, an Americanized Nigerian woman, to her affluent but traditional African home. The culture clash just scratches the surface of what lays beneath her trepidation and anxiety. Unfolding in layers the script gives the lead, played by Mfoniso Udofia, the ability to show many parts of who Kelechi is, might have been and would like to be.

The 4 primary actors are tremendous. I hope to see much more of Segun Akande - his performance had a kind of power and depth that I feel days later. Luckily I have seen Mirirai Sithole on stage twice this year.

The use of a chorus is a great choice - fantastic vehicle for setting the location & culture without unnecessary dialogue or elaborate staging.

PlayBill says Mfoniso Udofia is "truly excited to make a return to acting" - She is the author of Sojourners & Her Portmanteau - 2 incredible plays about the Nigerian-American migration. Look out for the rest of her Ufot cycle... Read more Read less

See it if you want to ponder immigrant experience in the particular and nature of belonging. If you want to puzzle through shifting time sequences.

Don't see it if you want mindless and relaxing entertainment. Need to stay on your toes to follow characters and their relationship. So worthwhile though!

See it if you think you'd like a slowly-building drama about a woman returning from the U.S. after many years to see her father in Africa.

Don't see it if or rather unless you want something sentimental.

See it if Personal journeys, cultural conflicts, families

Don't see it if Don’t appreciate African culture

See it if you're open to different cultures. The story is interesting, the staging is clever and the ending leaves you thinking.

Don't see it if you're expecting a traditional plot, climax, and denouement. The play could use a little editing, at one hour 45 minutes, no intermission

See it if A universal theme with a fascinating background. Well acted and directed.

Don't see it if you have no interest in themes that reverberate in other parts of the world and have universal interest.

See it if questions of how culture and upbringing shape us all intrigue you

Don't see it if flashbacks and a nonlinear plot confuse you

See it if great play about a woman returning to her home village in Arfrica

Don't see it if the play requires that you pay attention and wait for the end to figure it out

See it if Family dramas with real psychological depth appeal to you; you are intrigued by the dynamics of the immigrant perspective

Don't see it if Spending time with other cultures does not resonate for you; you need a theater piece to answer all questions you might have quickly

Also This beautiful family drama is not as large in scope as the sociopolitical insights that An Ordinary Muslim is offering but it has real emotional depth from start to finish. The lead actress - Mfoniso Udofia - is outstanding and works hard to make a flawed, troubled character come to life in a real way. She is also a fine playwright (Her Portmanteau/Soujourns both at New York Theater Workshop last year). This piece is beautifully staged and really captures the magic of theater - a story unfolds gradually without regard to time restraints. It is coming to an end so I am so glad that I experienced it; in theater, it is not over until is closed so there is still this weekend to catch it.... Read more Read less

See it if You appreciate complex narratives combining memories with on-going confrontations, good acting and excellent use of a tiny stage.

Don't see it if You like straightforward narratives, a larger physical stage, and a resolution that's not a fantasy. You don't like mixtures of cultures.

See it if Interested in modern African life and culture

Don't see it if Want light fare. This is about a woman suffering from post traumatic stress disorder years after she beaten and raped as a young woman.

Also As a psychiatric nurse I am always interested in how mental illness and psychological trauma is portrayed in theater and this is pretty accurate although the part of the story about a woman who is a best selling author after only 15 years in the US and some of that as a student, is not.
I saw this with a Ghanian who was disappointed that there was not more African music, African accents etc However, I do not see how the African accents could be thicker and the dialogue still understood by an American audience. More music would probably have distracted from the seriousness of the play. It could probably have benefited from a larger stage but that is at a premium in Manhattan... Read more Read less

See it if You suspect Thomas Wolfe was right - but need confirmation, or if you might like old themes rewarmed in an interesting way.

Don't see it if You are impatient with themes that have already been explored and just want to move on.

See it if you like a play that is about other cultures. The issues could be applied to all families and communities. Also includes a good chorus.

Don't see it if you are upset by the issue of sexual assault and violence.