From Left to Right; Tawiah M’Carthy and Brad Cook photo by David Cooper.

We saw the opening night of Maanomaa, My Brother at the Belfry Theatre this past Thursday. It was an impressive play of only an hour in length. It packs quite a lot of magic in such a short show. It also has something substantive to say. 

The play focuses on the friendship between two middle-school-aged boys in Ghana. One of them is black, and one is white. Their friendship is profoundly oblivious to the difference of their skin colour in that country, until it isn’t. 

Years later as adults – both in Canada but estranged – having to return to Ghana gives them the opportunity to discover whether or not they are still friends. Without being politically didactic or moralistically simplistic, the play provides an emotionally compelling message.

Tawiah M’Carthy and Brad Cook – the performers in the two-hander – also wrote the play, which is impressive in and of itself! The set is very simple, a blank space. The play was directed by Philip Akin, with M’Carthy and Cook designing the set with Anne-Marie Donovan. Joanna Yu was the costume designer, and I found the costumes simple but effective. Chris Malkowski was the lighting designer, and again, I found the lighting to be quite effective. Kobena Aquaa- Harrison was the composer for the play, and for me the music was suitable to the mood of the story. Akosua Amo-Adem was the dialect coach, and Caryn Fehr the stage manager.

Overall, I found this brief play to be quite moving.  Recommended.