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Story Overview
love i awethu further explores the love between twin sisters, Beneatha and Callie, between an enslaved woman, Antoinette and her enslaver, "Mistress" Catherine, and between Awethu, and freedom. This play uses sound, and asks only that Black Women, Non-Binary and Genderqueer folk of all body types are cast, and that if there is a director, a Black director is required.
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Prologue
Amandla, Beneatha, Cinna, Callie, Portia, and Awethu symbolize a collective resistance, each embodying a conspirator in the fight for freedom. Through imagery and dialogue, the play confronts the scars of oppression, urging the audience to confront systemic injustice. As lightning cracks and rain falls, the characters reflect on their journey toward independence.
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Act 1 : Confluence
The twins, Beneatha and Callie, grapple with their rage stemming from their differing experiences as a house slave and a field worker. The ancestral voice warns Mistress Catherine and Antoinette of impending change symbolized by a falling tree. Cinna and Antoinette discuss their sense of impending change while reflecting on the annual tradition that marks the anniversary of Mistress Catherine's father's death. Callie reveals a plan to strike on the vulnerable anniversary to Beneatha, who is uncertain about participating. Antoinette and the Mistress share intimate moments but are reminded of their roles as day breaks. Beneatha and Portia discussing the warning; while Portia desires freedom without violence, Beneatha accepts her slavery without wanting change.
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Act 2 : Plotting
As the slaves convene to plan their revolt, the ancestral voice cautions them about the uncertainties and risks involved. Antoinette pleads with Catherine to heed her warnings, but Catherine denies her own complicity, hiding behind her own oppression as a woman. Despite Antoinette's pleas, the ancestral voice reminds her of the irreconcilable differences between herself and Mistress Catherine.
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Act 3 : Independence
In the lead-up to the revolution, secret embraces, strategic planning, and profound love among the characters reflect the complexities of Black existence and resistance. As tension mounts and change looms on the horizon, the sky's ominous green hue signals the approaching storm of revolution. Awethu's decision to embrace her true identity as Amandla signifies a powerful act of self-love, shedding the identity imposed upon her by Catherine and reclaiming her autonomy and agency. Amandla chooses to align with their people's struggle, giving into the cause and sacrificing their lover. This act paves the way for their long-awaited Independence Day.
Queering Themes
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Non-normative relationships and identities
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Challenging traditional gender roles and power dynamics
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Questioning and resisting societal norms, institutions, and ideologies
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Intersectionalism
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Gender and sexual fluidity
Pondering Plot
1. What do you make of the complexities in the relationships between the characters, particularly in terms of love, loyalty, and betrayal?
2. What parallels can be drawn between the characters' experiences and historical narratives of resistance?
3. What moral and ethical dilemmas do the characters face as they navigate their quest for freedom, and how do their choices reflect their values and priorities?
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