Eclipsed - Shining Through The Barriers

Fun Fact: Playwright and star of The Walking Dead, Danai Gurira, made Broadway history with Eclipsed. It's the first Broadway show to have a female Playwright, female director, and an all female cast.

Target Audience: Though I found the play to be important and educational, the themes in the show are dark. I definitely wouldn't recommend bringing children under the age of 13 to the show.

Best Bits: There's a running gag throughout Eclipsed that never failed to amuse me. After the women procure a biography about former President Bill Clinton, they become fascinated with the politics, the laws, and of course, the scandal of his affair with Monica Lewinsky. They talk about the book like it's their favorite television drama.

Standout Actor: Every one of the women on that stage commanded it. But Pascale Armand, Bessie, is really a wonder to watch. She provided most of the comic relief in the show without going for the laugh. She also had such a deep emotional range that I found myself moved by the inflection of her delivery. Amazing Actor.

Verdict: Powerful storytelling. I laughed, cried, and left the theater with an intense need to learn more about the Liberian Civil war. Eclipsed puts a relatable face on the provocative subject of warfare and its effects on the female spirit; a point of view that you don't often have a chance to see.

"What is your name? What is the name your mother and father give you?" You will hear these questions several times during Eclipsed. To me, the questions illustrate the heart of the play. Who are you? Who are YOU? Eclipsed follows the lives of 3 captive 'wives', an activist, and a soldier during the second Liberian Civil war. In the mists of widespread violence and the shadow of captivity, each woman struggles to find their identity and voice.

What I love most about the show is that the warm, funny, and endearing qualities succeed in shining through the serious tone. Gurira's dialogue invites us into the lives of these women. Most of the play gives off the feeling that you are simply gossiping with your friends. You start to see their humor and personality until you are reminded that they are captives. That's where you find the true perfection in the show. Like these women, you start to let your barriers down and enjoy the present until you are jolted back into a harsh reality.

While the first half of the show plays very episodically, the second half of the play is much more about consequences and choices. Much of the back and forth dialogue is replaced with stories about these women. We get to dive in a little deeper, revealing their strengths and regrets.

Oscar Winner Lupita N'yongo leads an incredible female ensemble. Each of them brings to life extraordinary characters that manage to find normalcy, joy and purpose in a chaotic situation. What's equally impressive is how the cast, along with Gurira's excellent dialogue, manages to glorify feminine pride, sisterhood, strength, and hope while still giving honesty to the environment. We never see their husband or the war but the atmosphere reflects them every moment of the show.

Danai got the idea for Eclipsed from a 2003 magazine article featuring a female rebel solider named Black Diamond. The influence from that article, Danai's own African upbringing, and her research in Liberia helped her to shed a light on enormities that are still issues today. The show will run on Broadway for 17 weeks and hopefully during that time, will open more eyes to a new perspective. I felt that this was phenomenal show. Unsettling, inspiring, witty and beautiful. If anything, I will definitely have more pride when I tell someone my name.

Reviewed by makia Martin

Tuesday 23rd February 2016
John Golden Theatre, New York City
Find me on Twitter: @newyorktheatre

View our show pages for more information about Eclipsed, John Golden Theater.