In Old Age

Play (2026)
by Mfoniso Udofia
Play 8 of The Ufot Family Cycle
Directed by Dawn M. Simmons
ArtsEmerson
In Collaboration with Front Porch Arts Collective
Emerson Paramount Center
Washington Street, Boston
June 13-28, 2026

Scenic Designer: Jeffrey Peterson; Lighting Designer: Eduardo Ramirez; Sound Designer: Arshan Gailus; Dialect Coach: Bridgett Jackson

With Ebony Marshall-Oliver (Abasiama Ufot), Marvin Bell (Azell Abernathy)

Abasiama (Ebony Marshall-Oliver) is now white-haired and has lost her husband, Disciple. Her daughter, now grown and spending time abroad, has arranged and paid tor Azell (Marvin Bell) to come to do some major updates on Abasiama’s home. There is a lot of back and forth between Abasiama and Azell, with considerable sparks flying, about what wood she should get for the floor, but also about whether Azell should take off his boots when he comes in the house. Underlying this tension is Abasiama’s vulnerability about her past marital relationships, and her growing interest in more than an employment relationship with Azell. As the various issues about the revamping of the house develop and gradually resolve, there is an evolution of their relationship in a subtle and interesting way.

This lovely and nuanced two person play brings forth some of the more delicate aspects of character and destiny that are hinted at in some of the previous seven plays in the cycle. Abasiama, in Ebony Marshall-Oliver’s spicy and appealing rendition, is determined to stand up for herself and be straightforward with Azell; but she is attracted to him in an odd way, and he to her. Nonetheless, that attraction is something that Abasiama does not totally trust, and she needs to go through quite a few paces in order to set the stage for what might be a fulfilling next step. In the middle of the ensuing carpentry, there is a semi-mythic opening of the floor to be redone, with a red glow beneath, that metaphorically suggests the opening up of tender parts of psyche and history. As Azell comes around to seeing Abasiama’s vulnerabilities, and begins to acknowledge some of the issues in himself that have caused him some attenuations with his loved ones, the relationship shows signs of evolving.

Beautiful work by both actors here gives this nicely wrought script a further vividness and even more compelling quality. Both actors are both strong, forthright and hilarious in their own ways, especially at the outset, each, in a way, its own force of nature. As their relationship tenderizes and develops, they both exhibit more delicacy in their interactions, and, consequently, more earnest, and less playfully antagonistic, dialogue. Credit to both actors and to Dawn Simmons’ capable direction for conveying this so artfully.

It is not clear that the spookier elements of the narrative – the opening of hole in the floor and the various collapsing parts of the surrounding house, meant to be mythical or metaphorical – are necessary. But this bent towards the mythical seems well in keeping with Udofia’s style, intended to bring forth a sense of the magical background of Nigerian folk culture. It was demonstrated most prominently in The Grove, part 2 of the Ufot cycle, with its lingering group of spirits. Here, in In Old Age, it is not terribly obtrusive, but seems unnecessary.

As Abasiama, Marshall-Oliver does an amazing job of rendering the Nigerian accent, and with articulating some considerable amount of secondary dialogue in Nigerian language. Marshall-Oliver is an American actor, but carries off this role of an aging Nigerian woman living in North America compellingly and with superior linguistic mastery. Kudos to dialect coach Bridgett Jackson for helping make this aspect of the performance so effective. Though Marvin Bell has no accent to master, he is equally compelling and magnetic.

The set by Jeffrey Peterson is dynamic, especially for a small performance space, lighting effects by Eduardo Ramirez, including the glowing aura from beneath the stage is interesting, and sound design by Arshan Gailus particuarly effective, with interleaved sounds of birds, music and all sorts of environmental effects, adding to the magical embrace of the production.

– BADMan (aka Charles Munitz)