Barbershops. For some people, they’re more than just a place to go for a shave or to get a quick trim. Specifically, the black community has a long held practice of joining one another in community when gathering at the local barber’s joint. Whether it’s just shooting the breeze or discussing something important, the barbershop often serves as a safe place to relax and unburden. There has been many depictions of shop talk in movies, but the stage play The Barbershop Chronicles may take the prize in terms of accuracy. The National Theatre was there to document it.
The Barbershop Chronicles places a heavy emphasis on the cultural aspects of African communities in society, and particularly that of black men.
The Barbershop Chronicles was written by Inua Ellams, and this version of the production was staged in London in 2018. The play is sort of like an anthology, an episodic collection of stories where every location is a barbershop. Each shop has a specific location, five of them being in Africa with one of them taking place in London. Within each plotline, the store keepers and the customers have conversations ranging from politics, football, familial relationships, and the plight of the black man everywhere. Following no direct narrative, The Barbershop Chronicles places a heavy emphasis on the cultural aspects of African communities in society, and particularly that of black men.
Bijan Sheibani sat in the director’s seat for this production, choosing to mesh chaos with control. The show is staged with the audience on all sides, giving the actors room to roam about the space without the disadvantage of needing to worry about which direction they’re facing, or having their backs turned. Sheibani’s choice of display makes this play more intimate, giving the live viewers every opportunity to catch even the most miniscule details of the blocking at one point or another. The scene transitions could at times be a bit disorderly, but the decision to incorporate music and dancing added to the show more than it took away. The actors were all black, which gives the casting an obvious intention and of course indicates that the intended audience is obvious. This is in no way a negative, it only means that certain viewers will understand some things more than others will. Ellams’ writing is the play’s meat and potatoes. He gave it everything: comedy, heart, intelligence, and perspective. He stamped his claim in the industry with this show, and it’s only a matter of time before people are talking about shooting or staging his next script.
There’s something for everyone in The Barbershop Chronicles but it’s still probably not a show that everyone will appreciate. There are even a few things that may make some audiences uncomfortable, but no play is without that and this definitely doesn’t negate anything the play is trying to say. Honestly, not everyone will even ‘get it’, but that shouldn’t mean people shouldn’t try. This play’s run ended some time ago, but the good news is it can still be watched. Check out The Barbershop Chronicles on National Theatre at Home whilst it’s still in their catalogue.
