Lupita Nyong'o Stuns in Successful Broadway Debut of 'Eclipsed'

Lupita Nyong’o stars in “Eclipsed” with very good reviews. She particularly stunned the audience at her Broadway debut.

The Story Arc

In “Eclipsed,” Nyong’o stars as one of the captive wives of a Liberian warlord. It is an intense and colorful drama, which is quite unique compared to other offerings at Broadway. The story was set over a decade ago when Charles Taylor’s presidency came to an end. The wives of the unseen commander stayed inside a small dilapidated house and tried to maintain some normalcy despite their current situation.

The initial objective of the first two wives, 25-year-old No. 1 (Saycon Sengbloh) and pregnant No. 3 (Pascale Armand), is to prevent the warlord from raping the nameless new wife played by Nyong’o.

At the start, they managed to save her from the horror by hiding her beneath a washtub. Later, No. 2 (Zainab Jah), a brave and self-made warrior returned. One scene also featured the character of Rita (Akosua Busia), a peacekeeper who tried to settle a ceasefire and aid the women to refugee camps.

Nyong’o, also known as “The Girl,” will be faced with two main paths. She can choose whether to make peace or start a war. The Girl can read, which impresses the other wives. The other women are actually afraid of how their lives would be without the protection of the cruel warlord.

Paving the Way for Women

The characters were well-played, and Nyong’o was specifically impressive, showing charisma and vulnerability as she nears womanhood. Considering the situation of the women, their names are not as relevant as the rankings that they were handed by the warlord.

Part of the drama will feature the women trying to look for an identity, which means more than a mere number. The story arc follows one event that has global effects, with Danai showing humanity in minute details.

The play is the second by actress-writer Danai Gurira that opened in New York within the week. Her other play is “Familiar” at Playwrights Horizons.

The work done by Lupita and Danai is actually something new in Broadway’s play scene. “Eclipsed” features the first time that a Broadway playwright, director and cast are all comprised of females. Liesl Tommy served as the director of the play. The drama recently opened at the Golden Theatre. There are certain scenes that the actors have become too familiar with, which provided an almost real environment to the audience.

“Eclipsed” is on sale until June 19, 2016 at the Golden Theatre.