How Black Mothers Say I Love You

From the very onset of Trey Anthony's How Black Mothers Say I Love You, presented by the frank theatre company, we hear joyful rhythmic music playing, but underscored with notes of dread. What exactly was I in for? It sounded welcoming but at the same time, an unsettling feeling of darkness. 

What follows is a play that unravels like an onion, layer after layer. We first encounter the friction between Daphne and her lesbian daughter Claude. Then a mysterious character appears, singing a lullaby type hymn. Who is she? We soon find out exactly who she is, and it's a shame that her only appearances have her singing. 

Enter Valerie, Claude's sister, and for me, the most layered character in the show. She brings up issues of race, marriage, motherhood, and sisterhood. She seemed complex and complicated, while the other characters seemed more set in their ways. 

Overall, an intriguing glimpse into family dynamics that meet at the intersection of sexuality, race, and religion. 

How Black Mothers Say I Love You is on now at the Cultch until November 12.