Birmingham

The Half God of Rainfall: Inua Ellams

3***

 

Runs: 1h 20, no interval.  B’ham Rep till 20 April 2019

Bham Rep BO: 0121 236 4455

www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

 

Review: Rod Dungate,            8 April 2019

@ReviewsGate

 

The Half God of Rainfall is a delicious example of story-telling.  Based essentially on African gods, it quickly fuses in classical Greek gods and a host of others.  The whole is then wrapped up within a tale of, of all things, basketball.

 

The story we are told is rich in invention, magic, mystery; it is also dramatic and at times, very funny.  The whole sweep of the tale holds us enthralled.

 

Both performers, Rakie Ayola and Kwami Odoom inject great energy into the play, both achieve great variety and changes of tone.  They have a warm working relationship and this affects us as we watch.

 

For a story-telling piece, though, I should have liked to have seen a greater relaxation from them, so that they could achieve a richer direct relationship with us.  Occasionally clarity of diction fell; it would help if this could be addressed, as in Half God all the pictures are painted with words.

 

It remains, however, an unusual, a rich, and an a enriching story-telling event.

 

Rakie Ayola: Modupe

Kwami Odoom: Demi

 

Director: Nancy Medina

Designer: Max Johns

Lighting Designer: Jackie Shemesh

Sound Designer: Tamju Amarasuriya

Movement Director: Imogen Knight

Casting Director: Briony Barnett

Assistant Director: Breman Rajkumar

Dialect Coach: Joel Trill

Orisha Arts Specialist: Crispin Robinson

Basketball Consultant: Hesketh Benoit