THE SEPIA SEAMSTRESS

Enjoyable Musho Festival production offers glimpse into clashes between traditional and modern upbringing and the struggle for individual identities. (Review by Maurice Kort)

Written by Mayuri Naidu, The Sepia Seamstress appeared on this year’s Musho Festival.

Kyla (Mayuri Naidu) is a modern executive in her mid thirties returning to Durban from a stint in London. She is fetched by her Aunt Shika (Kajal Maharaj). From their dress, the former in a low cut black pants suit and the latter in a sari, and their dialogue and mannerisms, Shika is very much of the old school and ways and steeped in the Indian culture and traditions whereas Kyla has very much discarded those of her parents. Indeed she has rejected marriage, especially as her parents are divorced, and has been having an affair.

Leela (Kajal Maharaj) is over the moon, in love with the man she has only met once briefly and is shortly to marry in the marriage arranged by their parents, and what a catch he is, as he is an ear-nose-and-throat specialist. She is completely at home with this state of affairs, being in accord with these cultural traditions, although she has some trepidation at having to break the news of her pending marriage to the very modern Kyla.

Clever rapid arrangement of the sparse stage furniture serves as Shika's car that fetches Kyla from the airport, Kyla’s couch and bed and Leela's room where she thinks of her forthcoming wedding and groom and speaks of these to her father (played by Mayuri Naidu). The props are then rearranged to serve as Kyla's home where the two friends, Kyla and Leela, meet. Their friendship is tested in the extreme.

The two perform their various roles convincingly under the direction of Clinton Marius resulting in an enjoyable evening's entertainment and a glimpse into the clashes between traditional and modern upbringing and the struggle for individual identities.
The two performances of The Sepia Seamstress at the Catalina Theatre, Wilson's Wharf were on January 16 at 20h00 and January 17 at 18h00. – Maurice Kort