'Goddess' Off-Broadway review — a modern, musical twist on mythology
Read our review of Goddess off Broadway, a new musical inspired by the African myth of Marimba and created by Michael Thurber, Saheem Ali, and James Ijames.
There’s something about a god stranded among mortals, working their way back to divinity, that captures the heart of an audience. Hercules did it. Thor did it. And now, in Saheem Ali’s Goddess, it’s Marimba’s turn. Weaving the Kenyan legend of the goddess of music with a modern-day love story, Goddess bursts onto the stage at The Public Theater with an explosion of joy.
We lay our scene in Club Moto Moto, “the hottest and sexiest jazz club in all of Mombasa.” It also happens to be the place where the goddess Marimba first created music. The club is a sacred space — not just for the people who flock there to escape the conservatism of the outside world, but in a much more literal sense as well. It’s here that Omari (Austin Scott), a secret saxophone prodigy and Mombasa’s prodigal son, comes to escape his overbearing father. It is here, too, that he meets Nadira, Moto Moto’s enchanting new club singer, and both of their lives are changed forever.
If there ever was an actress who could easily be the literal embodiment of music itself, it’s Amber Iman. Tony Award-nominated for her role in Lempicka last year, Iman is a powerhouse in the role of Marimba, the goddess in disguise as mild-mannered Nadira. Marimba/Nadira was an instant hit with my audience, bringing down the house before her first song (the sultry “Honeysweet”) had even finished. And for all of Nadira’s belting and ballads, Iman’s innate sweetness gives the character an essential vulnerability that highlights just how out of place she is in the mortal world when she’s not singing.
From the depiction of Mombasa’s cultural melting pot to the inventive storytelling of Kenyan mythology, writer and director Saheem Ali has created a touching tribute to his homeland. Especially powerful on stage are the “Griotrio,” a chorus of three women (Melessie Clark, Teshomech Olenja, Awa Sal Secka), adorned with cowrie shells and elaborate hairstyles, who narrate it all in an homage to Africa’s rich tradition of griots. Ali and James Ijames's book doesn’t always manage to keep up, however, and some of the story beats feel like they were plucked from a second-rate Disney movie — especially Nadira’s wish (and relatively undeveloped arc) to understand what love feels like. Nonetheless, this fantastic ensemble will have audiences humming notes of “Mombasa, Mombasa” all the way home.
Goddess summary
In modern-day Mombasa, Kenya, enigmatic young singer Nadira finds a home at Club Moto Moto. While the city around them chafes against a conservative government, Moto Moto is lit from within by the power of Nadira’s song. But Nadira is hiding a secret of celestial proportions: she is the mythological goddess of music, Marimba, hiding in the mortal world from her mother Watamaraka, the goddess of evil. As Nadira begins to fall for Omari, the talented son of the governor, she must ask herself: can love between a god and a human last? And can Club Moto Moto, her home, protect itself from the people who would see it shut down forever?
What to expect at Goddess
Goddess is, above all, a celebration of music, and the score (music and lyrics by Michael Thurber) is bound to be the thing audiences take away from this show. Not every Goddess song is created equal, but where the songs shine, they really shine. Especially memorable are Nadira’s (Iman) and Omari’s (Scott) vocals-and-saxophone duet on “Boom Boom,” as well as the triumphant “It’s a Date” between audience-favorite characters Rashida (a superb Arica Jackson) and Ahmed (an irresistibly smooth Nick Rashad Burroughs).
For theatregoers wanting to preview the music or recapture the magic, a selection of songs from Goddess are already available to stream online on an EP called Moto Moto Presents: A Night in Mombasa.
What audiences are saying about Goddess
At the time of publication, Goddess has an 88% audience approval rating on Show-Score, with mostly positive reviews from theatregoers. Many praised Amber Iman’s vocals and performance, while some expressed disappointment with the book.
- “The music is like nothing you’ve ever heard and the concept is incredible.” - Show-Score user Emily W
- “Compared with the god-like talent & the high-end choreography, the book is too weak to hold interest.” - Show-Score user XS2211
- “The voices of Amber Iman, Austin Scott, and Nick Rashad Burroughs are like honey and spice for your ears.” - Show-Score user Jordan S
Read more audience reviews of Goddess on Show-Score.
Who should see Goddess
- People interested in mythology stories adapted for today, such as Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus or Bolu Babalola’s Love in Color, will enjoy the goddess Marimba’s foray into modern-day Kenya.
- Anyone who gravitates to shows for some great dancing will delight in Darrell Grand Moultrie’s joyful choreography.
- Fans of Saheem Ali’s past directorial work, such as Fat Ham on Broadway and Merry Wives for Shakespeare in the Park, will want to see Goddess, which Ali has been developing since first hearing the myth of Marimba in high school.
Learn more about Goddess off Broadway
While Goddess’s script may not enchant, the power of the leads and the ebullience of the music casts a spell.
Photo credit: Goddess off Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)
Originally published on