In the Red and Brown Water

"In the Red and Brown Water" was a very interesting African play.  When I had first read the title before actually going to see the play i was unsure of what to expect.  I was kind of more intrigued about it when I was looking at the cover and noticed relating to track.  Me being a track runner made it more exciting to see it although it strayed away from running later throughout the play.  This play was one that kept your focus throughout, but created a continuous haze of what the meaning of the play was actually about.
The main character of the play was Oya.  That I was able to determine right from the beginning with the opening scene.  The play started off between Oya and her mother, Mama Moja.  Oya was a track runner who had an immense amount of talent for the sport.  She had a race that day, but something seemed to be troubling Mama Moja early on.  She seemed to be very ill.  That day Oya ran her race with flying colors because as usual she came in first place with ease.  As the race came to a close a man had approached her.  A white male from who seemed from the United States.  He came for Oya to offer her with the opportunity to run for "State".  She politely declined because she felt the need to talk it over with her mother and stay around to take care of her.  Although to her dismay later on that day Mama Moja had passed away.  Many friends and family mourned over her death.  Also, many of the men had to this death to their advantage to try and comfort Oya on the passing.  Elegba, Ogun, and Shango were three that came to Oya through her suffering.  Shango was the first one to make his move on the depressed Oya.  He was very confident and overbearing towards her, but every time he caressed her ear she just melted in his arms.  He had seduced her, but later on left and joined the army leaving Oya behind.  While gone Oya had fallen for Ogun who was able to stop getting chocked up every time he spoke to her and was able to express his love for her and made it known what she meant to him.  She had fallen in love with Ogun, but seemed to remain unhappy with her life.  Periodically throughout the rest of the play there were two or three instances where Shango had come home.  When he did Oya came crawling back to him and betrayed Ogun's trust.  This caused her relationship with Ogun to slowly dwindle away to where she let him go.  Also, on top of that the man from State came back bringing more bad news tell Oya that she was number two instead of number one and his offer to come run for State was now gone.  The time had passed and when Shango came home for the last time she heard the news that he had impregnated Shun.  He arrived at Oya's house that day and she said she had a present for him.  He waited outside for her to come out.  She slowly walked out with blood dripping down her right forearm.  She pulled her hand away from her ear and place it in Shango's hand.  She had cut off her ear and gave it to him.  He exited the stage and with that Oya fell to the ground and died.
What had struck me the most about this play was the fact that Oya had two opportunities to benefit her life, but ended up crushing both of them.  She had worked all her to being the best track runner she could be.  She was on top with no one in sight behind her.  Except she turned down probably her biggest in life and was unable to obtain it the next time around.  Also, she had a chance to make a family with Ogun, but betrayed his trust with Shango and that chance faded away as well.
This theater performance was not the first I have been too.  I have actually been in two small productions myself for our charity play for my youth club.  I also, have seen a couple school play productions as well as Noah's Arc during the holidays.  Overall I enjoyed it for the most part although I was somewhat confused throughout it and it was also the first one I have seen with an African theme.