This play is a Depression-era blues song come to life — with the help of hoodoo magic and potions.
Toulou (Camille Thomas) has fled an abusive family and the cotton fields of Mississippi to pursue her dream of becoming a blues singer in Memphis - but painful reality, a couple of difficult men and the questionable powers of hoodoo lead to the dark side.
Blues Singer Ace of Spades (Earl Boyd Jr.) impressed us with his guitar/harmonica/singing (he’s a musician in real life, making his acting debut) as the object of Toulou’s affections, aspirations and spells. Jib (Ndegwa McCloud) imposes his presence as her preacher-wannabe no-account brother. Hoodoo elder neighbor Candy Lady (Rose Cooper) was a strong woman modeled on the young author’s sharecropper grandmother - also the source of the vivid dialect that creates the world of this script, though it is sometimes hard to understand.
The voice and mood are well done, portraying the African American condition of this era— though the pace is sometimes a little halting. Also, there are definitely “adult language and situations”.
Hoodoo Love continues through September 10; 8pm Saturdays and NEW TIME: 2pm Sundays at the Robin Theatre in Reo Town.
http://www.ixiontheatre.com