Reviewed by Tracey Paleo, Gia On The Move
Sometimes there is just too much to take in, in this everything-but-the-kitchen-sink solo show.
Aria Gillespie is a black British immigrant, a singer, an OBIE award-winning actor and a psychic. As an Artist of the Divine and a Joy Vibe Coach her mission is to inspire. In, ARIA – I AM THE DAUGHTER OF O$UN, Gillespie goes to great lengths to do just that, visually, physically, and vocally. Her fervid one-woman show certainly gives new meaning to “full disclosure” as she exposes her relationship to the River Goddess and explains the signs she receives along her true life journey. Signs that repeatedly hit her like a slap in the face. Signs she also continues to regularly ignore, while knowing better.
Gillespie plunges headlong into her personal trauma, heartbreak and sexual abuse that results most often because she refuses to listen to the intuitive guidance given to her by her guardian Orisha. It’s an intense and complicated mélange of narrative and musical interlude that expresses deep emotion but is elusive where story is concerned.
Sometimes you have to meet the audience where THEY are. Gillespie, however, stays in her own lane and it’s hard for listeners, uneducated in the language of “Spirit” and channeling to dive in. Well intentioned as the material is, there’s a lot of darkness in her undercurrents. And, where swimming underwater can already be confusing, the stage direction, in this case, doesn’t help navigate it.
One of the loveliest aspects of the show, however, is the music. Award-winning composer Vincent Ott has created a truly delicious, undulating score of blues that Gillespie vocally and spiritually pours her whole self into. In these musical interludes, Gillespie does not merely shine, it is where she is most truthful internally and externally.
I watched this play virtually and lost the connection (which I was unable to get back) towards the finale. So, I was, unfortunately, unable to witness the ending of the show. But overall, I remain in the hope that there will be an understanding of the material as a whole, just as Gillespie, has finally, through her fascinating journey, become whole within herself.
Copyright © 2023 Gia On The Move. All rights reserved.
Written and/or recorded exclusively for Gia On The Move. No part of this Gia On The Move publication, writing, video, or audio may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Copyright infringement is a crime. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Gia On The Move Permissions Coordinator”. For more information please review our reprints and permissions page.
