ADAMS' APPLES, CHAPTER 4

The tale goes on this September at the Silverbird Cinema. This time, Shirley gives the inside stories of the controversial Adams’ women and the characters that revolve around them. There is more explanation of emotions rather than drama which made it a bit dull for its audience at the premier but for the good of all, everyone understands the characters much better!

Gerald is in a coma after his terrible accident and Ivy is in a serious emotional fix, knowing she probably was the trigger to the accident. Much of the chapter is spent by Ivy in the hospital by her boyfriend’s side, who ends up losing his memory in his terrible accident (whose graphics Shirley pulled off quite well).

Mrs. Adams has succeeded in establishing a tentative mother-son relationship with Albert and is exceedingly happy when he calls on her, and nobody else, to share his problems about his young daughter. He calls on her yet again, when his heart begins to beat in the name of love for the young, pretty lawyer, Michelle, who was a part of the scam that took his parents’ land away from him and then brought it back. It looks like Albert made a huge mistake doing that because it just drives his mother to ask the lawyer to stay away from a relationship that could have been one of the best things that would have happened to him.

Jennifer, after numerous unanswered calls, finds out the hard way through her archenemy, Ivy, that her lustful self had been seriously duped by a man many years younger than she was. What is really interesting to note in this scene is that Jennifer looks much more hurt than angry. She looks quite bruised – so much that it culminates in her getting wasted in a bar. Could she have crossed the borders from a strictly sex diet to wanting more of an emotional dessert to top it up? But, hey presto! Yet another shiny Prince appears to save the day. But instead of the tall, dark Prince from the Land of Far, Far Away who would fulfill every woman’s love needs, there is a light-skinned, though tall and well-built, psychologist who it seems would not be fulfilling love but sex-starved needs where Jennifer is concerned. Let us all raise our glasses to yet another saved disaster story!

Baaba and Chris cannot seem to get their hands off each other when the opportunity presents itself. Despite her fear-driven desperation to divorce Chris, the two yield uncontrollably to the the greater force of lust brewing in their bodies and almost have sex once again after a staged run-in. Baaba just had to run in on Chris stepping out of the bathroom with nothing more than a towel. And he just had to have water glistening off his body,with slick, shiny hair too! Which recent ex could resist that? These two seem to have serious sexual attraction to each other. And just when it seems like everything is going to be all rosy and filled with sunshine (not just in bed, but their marriage, thank goodness!) the story is given yet another twist. All cannot be rosy in the Adams’ land. Chris' paramour is pregnant and is intent on getting Chris involved. Meanwhile, Baaba’s ex, Eric is back!

Kuks seems to have put Chidi behind her back just a day after another round of uncontrollable sex. She has noticed Denu’s sudden attentions and is reveling in it quite deliciously. And it just so happens, there’s a huge workload Denu wants to share with her during lunch. Kuks’ car also seems to be part of the plan to throw the two together when it simply refused to start, and who should be the Prince in shining armour who would sweep her away in his shiny Escalade? A million bucks for the first guess…Denu! It seemed the chemistry that was dulled by Denu’s discovery of another beautiful woman (driven by Kuks’ unexplained snubs, if I may add) was certainly sparked sizzling hot. Unfortunately, no fireworks occurred in any bedroom, or in the car  (if Denu had been sharper), because Kuks’ guilt caught up with her in the form of Chidi’s watch which he left in her house. Talk about the perfect way to ruin a great date! Definitely a huge bummer for Denu and Kuks supporters. Instead Denu found himself seeking solace in the arms of the good woman he had snubbed earlier because of Kuks. 

Shirley portrays all her women as go-getters; individual women with power and respect. And most of the time, it is the women who do the chasing; Jennifer, Linda, Aseye . They, and not the men, ask for kisses and sex as plain as the words go. Shirley also takes quite the daring step in bringing issues like masturbation and female orgasms, which Ghanaians would typically like to lock up in a closet and have the key thrown away. One scene finds all the Adams’ women talking about having orgasms, and the difficulty of females experiencing them. Linda is beat up by her man when she sneaks to masturbate in the bathroom after sex where she failed yet again to orgasm. Questions arise whether it is truly authentic for daughters to talk with their mother about orgasms. It is kind of rare in our societies. Perhaps, Shirley is sending a message: the more we can talk about it, with our mothers especially, the more help women can have with sexual problems and be supported!

There was some comic relief. “Ma, Ma, aponkye no wuu oo” (the goat is giving birth), created quite a frenzy of laughter in the Cinema, as well as harsh but true comments passed by Jennifer.

However, there were a few drawbacks where the acting was concerned. The scene with Mrs. Adams and her old auntie was a bit too stilted with one-line answers, and both characters seemed to be waiting for their turn to speak like in a primary 6 play. But as a very wise person once said, “Nothing can be perfect in this world”, and thank goodness for that!

Chapter 5 premiers in October 2011