From the tacit knowledge through art direction to hair shop politics, JaJa’s African Braiding Hair was nothing short of amazing! The scene was set in Harlem, and you can tell it’s written by a person who is immersed in that culture. The black hair journey isn’t a monolith. We saw this in the array of women that graced the chairs, from the obnoxious healthcare worker to the anxious prone babe trying a new braider 10cm from her old braider. 

What immediately stood out for me was the art direction, it was intentional, vibrant and very well curated. Every cast member’s personality worked well in the space, and the dialogue was very ‘black hair shop vibes’. We saw the real-world politics and hairshop politics, which made it all feel 4D. I could have been in that chair myself. I absolutely loved the way the cast members would engage with the audience as if they were looking in a two-way mirror.

But the play is more than a laugh out on the town. It explores themes of hustle culture, immigration, toxic love, identity and ultimately survival in a foreign land that doesn’t actually want them there. Each character has their own vision of a rags-to-riches story in the works. Whilst the themes are heavy in nature the writing and cast carries them in a way that makes them seem no weight at all. Not in a light hearted- airy fairy way; but in a way that allows the show to still glide whilst carrying something weighty.

3 quarters of the way through I did feel like it started to meander. But before it actually became boring there was another turn which picked up the pace again and shortly after it came to the end, which had quite the crescendo.

Overall, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding is a must see! It’s culturally competent, a lovely watch from characters, to dance breaks, themes and song choices. I loved how different African countries were included, but it was still so Harlem. I really want it to be a show on Netflix – I’d tune in every week.