BEFORE I GO
Before I Go, written and performed by Tobi King Bakare, is a story about the weight of being Black, male and working class in a world that encourages you to silence yourself as a means of survival. But, it does beg the question; what is the price that you will pay for your silence in the end?
Ajani (Tobi King Bakare) is hosting one of his legendary BBQ’s. A table of Wray & Nephew, a bluetooth speaker and a house free from parental figures sets the scene as he welcomes us into his world.
As Ajani tells us his rules for the house party that is about to ensue, he gets interrupted by two phone calls. One from his mother, another from his incarcerated brother and a message from a friend about Nicole, his ex-girlfriend who clearly still has more of a hold on him than he would like to admit.
After swallowing the residual emotions left from the conversations had with his loved ones, he makes a beeline to the grill. As he boasts about his ability to make some of the best chicken ever tasted, Ajani encounters a near death experience and is transported to a different world. One that he cannot escape unless he begins to speak candidly about the chains that have been constricting his heart for far too long.
When he wakes and finds himself in the inbetween. Behind him, a saxophonist and a drummer. Around him, reminders of his past that he had been refusing to look at and a guide (Christoper Mbaki) who is seemingly Ajani’s higher self who will be guiding him through this ethereal realm.
His guide tells Ajani the rules of the game in which he has found himself. “Learn how to properly communicate or remain here forever.’’ Ajani tries to flex the muscles he has always used to survive - charm, humour and enough honesty to just get over the line but to no avail. With the stakes higher than ever before, we watch as he takes a journey into himself and with the aid of music, poetry and physicality, he bares his soul in a bid to take him home.
Tobi King Bakare’s (Ajani) performance was skillful, polished and provided an honest reflection of the trials that Black working class men have no choice but to face. He cleverly played with his physicality to reflect the performance that Black men are expected to provide, even in their most intimate moments.
The set designed by Georgia Wilmot and the lighting designed by Simisola Majekodumni truly allowed the audience a glance into Ajani’s psyche. As he found himself in the inbetween, the floor of the stage became a wall of mirrors, alluding to the mental entrapment that had to be faced.
The lighting swiftly changed as Ajani spoke and journeyed through his emotions, adding an extra level of intensity to the performance.
While many facets of the show were skillfully crafted, the story itself seemed a little disjointed. Before I Go aims to encapsulate what is beneath the surface for many Black working class men and while it does a great job of this in part, the themes could have been interrogated with a more inclusive eye for further depth.
The performance tells a story of a particular type of Black working class man, which leaves room to wonder what was left on the table with this play. Can this story sustain itself as an ode to the mandem when it only speaks to a sub category within its target audience?
Before I Go is current and gives voice to the unheard, showing that the cost Black men pay for conforming to roles shaped by systemic racism and sexism is too high.
In a world that has no intention of freeing you from your confines, the only true way to guarantee survival is to break the chains where you can. There is a whole emotional world awaiting you, all you have to do is walk towards it.
Before I Go is playing at Brixton House until July 22nd.
By Jojo Dixon
★★★☆☆
