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562 reviews for:
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf
Ntozake Shange
4.29 AVERAGE
562 reviews for:
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf
Ntozake Shange
4.29 AVERAGE
Definitely need to see this performed. Powerful words and themes but it must be heard not just read.
Fantastic. I am using this for a Women in Theatre course I am teaching. This version with the detailed intro and history from the author and the detailed discussion questions and book club suggestions at the end make it a perfect teaching/discussion tool.
Powerful. Life changing. Left me breathless as a teenager, and still does today. Still distressingly relevant.
I've never read anything quite like "for colored girls..." and I'm so happy that it has finally made the transition from "to read" to "read." Shange is a wordsmith. It comes across as a more nuanced, beautiful, and heartbreaking version of Cell-Block Tango. The use of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) throughout lends an authenticity to the choreopoem that she presents. It's representative of some of the struggles that WOC have faced and continued to face though it has been a while since the work's inception. I don't know that I have read anything more honest and deeply personal in my life.
Warning: "a nite with beau willie brown" will break your heart.
Warning: "a nite with beau willie brown" will break your heart.
Okay so I did not actually read this - I saw it in its first NYC revival since Shange's death (coincidentally on the one year anniversary) at the Public. Even though Hilary would probably disagree and say I need the words on the page to bring in the textual analysis, I feel like I interpreted it as it was meant to be interpreted. By seeing it.
I have to say that I loved this play. It was a bit weird to read the stage directions along with the poetry that was being said by these characters, but it was quite easy to read and follow.
For colored girls is considered a choreopoem (i.e. there are monologues that also include dance and music) with seven women in different colors speaking to the audience.
The seven women are the lady in red, lady in orange, lady in yellow, lady in green, lady in blue, lady in brown, and lady in purple.
Some of the poems really spoke to me a lot and the play tackles so many different subjects such as rape, abortion, domestic violence.
Some of the language was a bit harsh too. There were a lot of n words and some ethnic slurs in there too. I wouldn't recommend to those who may be easily offended and who may not want to read about some of the subjects of this play.
For colored girls is considered a choreopoem (i.e. there are monologues that also include dance and music) with seven women in different colors speaking to the audience.
The seven women are the lady in red, lady in orange, lady in yellow, lady in green, lady in blue, lady in brown, and lady in purple.
Some of the poems really spoke to me a lot and the play tackles so many different subjects such as rape, abortion, domestic violence.
Some of the language was a bit harsh too. There were a lot of n words and some ethnic slurs in there too. I wouldn't recommend to those who may be easily offended and who may not want to read about some of the subjects of this play.
lady in brown
& this is for colored girls who have considered
suicide/but are movin to the ends of their own
rainbows
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
amazing piece of literature. This may be in my favorites list for now on. Shange was truly revolutionary in her depictions of colored women and their love. Because of that, I feel incredibly seen.
Having listened to the audiobook of this, I am still firmly of the opinion that poetry is much better listened to than it is read, and I am also convinced that Thandie Newton could read me the phone book and I’d say thank you.
The only downside with the audiobook is that there are a few moments where Newton has to say “Lady in Red” or “Lady in Brown” before a piece of dialogue, just to help differentiate between the different speakers which would be immediately more clear when seeing this piece performed, and that does go some way to bringing you out of the story as a whole.
But I also think that listening to the audiobook has helped with what would have irritated me if I was reading it, and that is the deliberate misspelling of words even though it is being used to show vernacular for each of the ladies of the poems.
Overall, the poems are a creative insight into the lives and worlds of these different women who are all bound by the experiences they share as Women of Colour. And it seems so strange to me that these poems were written in the 70’s instead of in recent years.
The only downside with the audiobook is that there are a few moments where Newton has to say “Lady in Red” or “Lady in Brown” before a piece of dialogue, just to help differentiate between the different speakers which would be immediately more clear when seeing this piece performed, and that does go some way to bringing you out of the story as a whole.
But I also think that listening to the audiobook has helped with what would have irritated me if I was reading it, and that is the deliberate misspelling of words even though it is being used to show vernacular for each of the ladies of the poems.
Overall, the poems are a creative insight into the lives and worlds of these different women who are all bound by the experiences they share as Women of Colour. And it seems so strange to me that these poems were written in the 70’s instead of in recent years.