Pic by Val Adamson: Monde Tshazi (Father), Busani Mbili (Groom), Lyschelle Linderboom (Mother) and, seated, Philisiwe Sithole (Bride)Innovative and highly welcome continuation of collaboration between DUT and UKZN. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Blood Wedding by Spanish poet, dramatist and director Federico Lorca, which opened at the Courtyard Theatre earlier this week and runs until Saturday, is part of an innovative – and highly welcome – continuation of the collaboration between the drama departments of the Durban University of Technology and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The collaboration is spearheaded by co-directors UKZN’s Tamar Meskin and DUT’s Tanya van der Walt, long-term friends who have often talked about working together. This partnership means that the students from both institutions gain the benefit of input from different directors and the productions benefit from the resources of both campuses.
Blood Wedding features second and third year DUT drama students, while its companion piece, Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba, will take place at UKZN later this year.
Filled with symbolism, Blood Wedding (Bodas de Sangre in its original Spanish) resonates with the hatred of family vendettas, unforgiving natures, infidelities and the passion of love.
Generally, more projection and clearer articulation is what bars this production from reaching a much higher level. The students need to be aware of where their audiences are – in this venue, reaching at least two stories above them - and that they don’t stop at the front row.
However, strong performances come from Pieter de Beer (as Leonardo, the unfaithful husband); Busani Mbili as Groom, Lyschelle Linderboom as Mother, and Monde Tshazi (Bride's Father) as well as Mthokozisi Zulu as Boy and Roxanne Larkan as the long-suffering Wife. Lomkhosi Makhubu gives an excellent interpretation of the feisty Servant. Siphosenkosi Myeni’s tall figure makes him impressive as Death, lurking in the background silently insinuating his presence as the eventual tragedy looms.
However, it is Philisiwe Sithole as Bride who steals the show. Indicating a complete understanding of the nuances of her character, she gives a focused and riveting performance of a young woman struggling to come to terms with the two men in her life and her eventual despair when they kill each other.
Musical director Madlen Tzankova has skilfully involved the music from the opera Carmen into the scenes although – while quiet and restrained - the singing often overshadows the speech. If projection from the actors were stronger, this would be very effective. Adding to the Spanish element of the play is choreography by Linda Vargas.
Lorca had a passionate involvement with the artist Salvador Dali and some of Dali’s paintings, particularly those depicting horses, form a changing visual image on one of the panels and link to the horsemanship element of the play.
Blood Wedding runs at the Courtyard Theatre, DUT until March 13 at 19h30. Tickets R20 at the door. For bookings or more information, contact Lebohang Sibisi on 031 373 2194. – Caroline Smart
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