Pataki of Oba: The Dutiful Wife

A translation of an ancient tale from the Afro- Latino folktale about the West African River Goddess , Oba, and her blood sacrifice to save her marriage to Shango ( West African God of Fire), using divination and magic from the Yoruba tradition.
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Pataki of Oba: The Dutiful Wife

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  • Molly Wagner:
    7 Jul. 2020
    A captivating folklore retelling with specific characters and fun asides (I loved Oba and Iku's interjections throughout!)
  • Jordan Elizabeth Henry:
    16 Feb. 2018
    This play beautifully uses folklore to comment on contemporary relationships: when two women fight for a cheating man's attention, neither woman wins. There are so many really powerful images in this play -- Iku (Death) becoming the supper table; Obba sacrificing a part of her body to win the affections of her husband. And the characters' narration of events as they happen highlights the circular repetition of this story. Frazier's dialogue is both poetic and grounded, striking a really unique balance. I would love to see this play onstage!