By: Rainy “Country Cutie” Cates
The 7 Stages Theatre in Atlanta buzzed with anticipation on a rainy night in Georgia. The crowd, a mosaic of eager faces, were gathered into the intimate space, each person ready to dive headfirst into the enigmatic world of Dahéli Hall’s 2023 Best One-Woman Show, SPADURA.
As the lights dimmed and the first notes of the show’s soundtrack whispered through the theatre, the room was thick with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. Dahéli Hall, writer, producer, and actress behind *Bad Hair*, *Dear White People*, and *Star Wars: The Bad Batch*, had promised an experience that would be both thrilling and profound. And let me tell you, she delivered in a way that caught me completely off guard.
SPADURA wasn’t just a show—it was an emotional rollercoaster. It began with laughter, that hearty, sitting around after Sunday dinner with family like you’re getting a front-row seat to someone’s every week struggle. But then, just when you thought you were cruising comfortably, Hall steered the narrative into deeper waters. Comedy, after all, often emerges from the rawest places of hurt, and Hall wasn’t afraid to wade through those murky depths.
As the performance unfolded, I found myself laughing one moment and blinking back tears the next. It was a reminder of how we all wear masks, concealing our struggles behind a facade of normalcy. In SPADURA, Hall laid bare her own vulnerabilities—her complicated pregnancies and its profound impact on her life and art.
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But what struck me most was how SPADURA became a mirror for us all. Hall’s journey, with its unexpected turns and raw revelations, was a testament to the human condition. It invited us to reassess our own lives, to reflect on our challenges and the ways we adapt to them. The laughter and tears were woven together into a poignant tapestry, urging us to find beauty in our imperfections and gratitude in our struggles.
By the end of the night, as the applause echoed through the theatre and the lights came back up, it was clear that SPADURA was more than just a performance. It was a celebration of resilience, a call to embrace life’s messiness, and a reminder that, no matter how unexpected our paths may be, there’s always something worth cherishing.
So, if you missed it, mark your calendar for the next time Dahéli Hall takes the stage. Trust me, you won’t want to miss another chance to experience the raw, powerful magic of SPADURA.
