Daniel Jelani Ellis is speaking of sneaking and inviting all to enter Anansi's web
18 Sep 2023

by Drew Rowsome - Photos by Natasha Ramondino

"We are entering Anasi's web," warns daniel jelani ellis. "It's a deadly place, a literal web that exists on my planes. Anansi is the deity of storytelling, mythical and magical. Anansi will tell us the story." The last time I interviewed ellis, was before the opening of the second version of speaking of sneaking that was a Dora-nominated hit as part of the 2018 RISER Festival. So, from experience, I am taking ellis's enthusiasm as understatement: speaking of sneaking was a sneaky piece of theatre that burrowed under one's skin using charm and comedy to present potent ideas and issues. When he raves about the production of speaking of sneaking coming to Buddies, I believe him.

This will actually be the third production of speaking of sneaking as well as a homecoming, the first version being developed and presented as part of Buddies' Young Creators Unit. In the intervening years ellis himself has been active in multiple projects including The First Stone and Box 4901. Revisiting the work with "the luxury of time" and solid support from Buddies and Obsidian Theatre has allowed ellis and director d'bi.young anitafrika to do some deep dramaturgical work and "rehearse the thing. I've gone across the spectrum of emotions," says Ellis. "I'm in awe or embarrassed or surprised that this young person had the audacity to do these things. It feels totally new as it is Aansi's story but the heart remains about Ginnal. About Ginnal trying to be good."

Ginnal and Anansi are two of the nine plus characters that ellis inhabits through the course of speaking of sneaking but the rehearsal time also involves collaborating. "The newness is that we are in Anansi's web," emphasizes ellis, "and in the dancehall. The previous productions were pulled from my own experience but we've added a sound designer, Stephon Smith, and a new choreographer, Fairy J, both of whom have relationships with Jamaica and dancehall. They're bringing stuff independent of me and d'bi. We have so much space to explore, to allow the vision to expand. I don't mean to hyperbole, but that's the Jamaican way, it is spectacular. Rachel Forbes's design of the set and costumes is grand." ellis notes that previous productions were on a smaller scale as they were part of festivals, "the sets had to be able to be collapsed within 15 minutes." As a mainstage Buddies production, "This is a much grander scale. We're actually entering Anansi's web."

speaking of sneaking is at its core about Ginnal struggling with the conflict between his Jamaican roots and his gay identity. ellis admits that much of speaking of sneaking is autobiographical and when asked if things have changed since his first conception of the play, the answer is ambiguous and complicated. "I would alter my behaviour is certain settings," says ellis, "but felt free to be myself when participating in lots of arts organizations. Ginnal feels like he's at risk, but in the next breath he is making light of it. That is one of the specific elements of the afro-diaspora, we laugh to keep from crying." ellis points out that there "has been an emergence of queer culture in Jamaica, they've had their third or fourth Pride celebration," but he also refers to the culture as "homophobic." He points out his experience performing speaking of sneaking at CARIFESTA XIV as being "nerve-wracking as all hell" but "ecstatic." He says it had "an overwhelming positive response" though "some people left the theatre." ellis dodges the question when asked if he would be able to perform speaking of sneaking in Jamaica.

Intersectionality is always complicated and difficult, but Buddies is perhaps the best place to explore it. "Every day we're reminded of how much we are supported," says ellis before adding an illustrative anecdote. When director anitafrika arrived for the first rehearsal, she was wearing a "fabulous leopard ensemble" that garnered compliments. ellis questioned whether she needed to be so fashionably attired when they had hard work ahead of them. "She said, 'Of course, I'm working at Buddies.' It really impacted the work, we're so comfortable here." With results that are "spectacular," that is if one dares to enter Anansi's web.