(Pic: Senzo Mthethwa)Gem of a performance from young actor resonates on many levels. (Review by Caroline Smart)
The Dingalings community theatre production company has been operating for eight years and has made a strong contribution to unearthing young talent in KZN.
One such example is Senzo Mthethwa – a unique product of South Africa’s cross-cultural identities. Born of African parentage, he was brought up in a Tamil household where his mother, was a domestic for the Chetty family in Reservoir Hills. When she died, Mr and Mrs Chetty took him in and raised him as their own along with their three other children.
Thus Senzo not only speaks Tamil but is more versed in the Indian culture, its food and its music than he is in his own Zulu roots. His natural speech has the Indian lilts and cadences. He sings in Tamil and has studied the tabla and its complex rhythms and, to my inexperienced ears, he plays the instrument very well.
All this fascinating material cries out to be recorded in a drama production. Seizing this opportunity, director Kumseela Naidoo and her husband Koobeshan Naidoo of the Dingalings – along with Senzo – have created a highly entertaining show. Originally called Senzo Mthethwa, it was seen at the 2010 Musho Festival in January when it deservedly won the Audience Award.
Now titled The Boolulu Uncle, it is running at Catalina Theatre and is bound to attract full audiences for its run. The term “boolulu” can be likened to “the boogie man”, dire threats made by parents to children who misbehave and in the Indian community of the time, it usually referred to black people. However, I have misgivings about the new title as this term only appears fleetingly in one scene. If this production is to achieve what I believe is its full potential - by performing at festivals around South Africa and reaching further to an international forum– the title needs a re-think.
Engaging us with his winning smile, Senzo Mtethwa presents all the energy, versatility, command and focus of a seasoned actor from his first appearance when we see him dancing to a number from a Tamil movie. His comedy timing is excellent and the storyline crackles along at a good pace as he occasionally heads for his laptop to write the next chapter in his life’s journey to date. Using a minimum of props, this allows for some delightful scenes in which he plays characters from his early days at primary school – where he was the only child with raso (chilli water) while the others had juices - through to college.
Under Kumseela Naidoo’s careful direction, he makes each character individual and credible. They include the opportunist security guard at Home Affairs where he also meets a sharp-talking gangster with more gold teeth than white ones as well as the high school girl with a speech impediment and the matric pupil (four years running!) who took him under his wing. Then there’s the bow-legged headmaster, the Tamil School teacher and the large lady (“built like a small wardrobe”) in the taxi on the way to his birth grandfather’s farm. Each character is handled with respect, particularly the older ones, lending an endearing element to the play.
The Boolulu Uncle can be enjoyed on many levels – simply as an entertaining piece presented by a good actor; as an insight into Indian culture, or simply as the fascinating journey of a young man who doesn’t fit into any stereotypical “box”: The script is highly amusing but there is much clever satirical comment beneath the surface. This is indeed a uniquely South African story Miss it and you’ll lose out on a highly enjoyable theatrical experience.
The Boolulu Uncle runs at Catalina Theatre, Wilson’s Wharf, until May 2 with performances from Thursdays to Saturdays at 20h00 with an extra show on Saturday at 17h00 (Sundays 14h00 and 18h00). Tickets R 65 (R40 concessions and matinees) Bookings through Thandeka on 031 305 6889 or email tsibisi@mweb.co.za or online at www.strictlytickets.co.za / 073 725 7381 or www.catalinatheatre.co.za or at www.goingplacesSA.co.za / www.goingplacesSA.com - Caroline Smart
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