'da Kink in my hair

Voices of Black Womyn

Trey Anthony

• Publisher: Playwrights Canada Press
• Year: 2005
• ISBN:
  9780369102140
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Canadian Drama
• Index: Literature

Set in a West Indian hair salon in Toronto, da Kink in my hair gives voice to a group of women who tell us their unforgettable, moving, and often hilarious stories. Mixing laughter and tears—and told in words, music, and dance—the stories explore the hardship, struggles, and joys of black women's lives.

Act One Opening Scene

Stage dimly lit, a hairdressing shop. Alone on the stage is a hairdressing chair, at the edge of the stage is a tight coil, representing the hair. The Griot enters, she then calls the Goddess who enters proudly she blesses the stage. The Griot then calls the dancers/community who enter. They dance, this is a celebratory dance. Suddenly there is an urgent beat on the drum and the dancers stop. They reach for the coil which is sitting at the edge of the stage, which is abruptly pulled apart, and a frightful sound escape occurs as the dancers stop and they reenact the sizzling, frying, pain, agony and torture that black hair is subjected too. The drums beat faster and angry. It becomes a desperate frenzy of cries and moans and then there is a final beat of the drum and women take the afro pics and place them on the edge of the stage. Black out.

NOVELETTE enters.

Salon: Lights up on NOVELETTE, who sits in the hairdressing chair putting on her makeup. All the other women are frozen in tableau.

NOVELETTE:

(addresses the audience) My work is never done! I’m always working, working, working. You want me to talk to you, explain what’s going on in this play well forget it! Pick up a program and read it or something because I have no time to talk to you today! I’m a busy busy career woman. No time for myself. Isn’t that true Miss Lizzy. (She addresses the plant.) Oh I need to water you. Can’t forget about you. Don’t worry Miss Lizzy. I’ll get you your water soon. I have so much things to do… It never stops. (She grabs the broom and begins sweeping.) I’m telling you between doing my makeup, sweeping, and of course doing hair, the work never stops! Being a hairdresser is not an easy thing. (She walks over to the women frozen in tableau.) people rushing in here talking about oh Novelette, I want this style, this cut, this washed, this coloured, don’t they see I’m busy—

MILLY bursts through tableau and proceeds towards NOVELETTE.

MILLY:

Excuse me, pardon me.

The other women come out of tableau and the store becomes alive. A busy hustle and bustle. The women become the customers and it is business as usual at NOVELETTE’s hair salon. Three women take their places at their seats chatting. CLAUDETTE and SANDRA are gossiping at the cash register. DIANA is doing MARCIA’s nails at the nail booth.

Excuse me! I have a seven-thirty appointment and it’s now eleven-thirty and you haven’t started my hair yet.

NOVELETTE:

(She looks MILLY up and down with distaste.) See what I mean. Listen here lady. I said come for seven-thirty I did not state anywhere or at any time I would start you at seven-thirty because, you booked an appointment you never book a guarantee. Now sit down and when I’m ready for you I’ll let you know!

MILLY sheepishly returns to seat. NOVELETTE addresses the audience again.

Out of order! I’m telling you if it’s not one thing it’s the other. women rushing in here, looking like they got run over by a Mac truck, then expecting me to make them look like Janet Jackson. I said lady I’m a hairdresser not a magician! And I tell you as a hairdresser you get to know everybody’s business.

DIANA:

Did I tell your I saw your boyfriend in the mall with his sister.

REIGN:

What sister? Derrick doesn’t have a sister!

DIANA:

Then who is she then?

DIANA gives a knowing smile to the other ladies in the shop, who laugh nervously.

NOVELETTE:

I’m telling you, I get to know everybody’s business! Not that I’m a nosy or anything. But if they don’t tell you the hair will. Don’t believe me? Well let me tell you… my mother was a hairdresser, my mother’s mother was a hairdresser, and my granny granny, (She counts on her fingers.) granny, granny use to be a hairdresser. I’m telling you, it’s been a long time since us Campbells have been doing hair. We are very entrepreneurish. And my granny granny, granny, granny, granny, granny, granny, used to s… If you want to know about a woman, a black woman that is. Touch her hair. Cause our hair carries our journey. ‘Cause that’s where we carry all our hopes, all our dreams, our hurt, our disappointments they’re all in our hair.

CLAUDETTE:

Yeah gal, me and Jean Paul pun di speaker box!

She gives an elaborate sexual dance move, the other women cheer.

NOVELETTE:

(She shakes her head.) Why do you think it’s kinky? We got all our sexual fantasies in there too! (She laughs.) You don’t believe me well watch this! Come I’m ready for you. (She walks over to CLAUDETTE and SANDRA and interrupts their conversation.) Claudette, you’re my favourite niece but I will not hesitate to fire...