NAF: BOSTON MARRIAGE

Yet another enriching experience from KickstArt. (Review by Sifiso Sikhakhane)

Before watching any KickstArt production, one cannot help but prepare oneself for an enriching experience presented on a normal stage. Perhaps normal is not the right word to use. If you’ve enjoyed the KickstArt experience before, then you will certainly agree that Greg King’s set designs are just phenomenal.

Well, I had the joys of watching one of KickstArt’s productions, Boston Marriage, which is charming the audience at this year’s National Arts Festival.

Written by American playwright David Mamet and directed by multi-award-winning director Steven Stead, Boston Marriage tells the story of two woman, Anna (Clare Mortimer) and Claire (Belinda Henwood) who argue about Claire’s new found “love” while Anna’s Scottish maid, Catherine (Janna Ramos- Violante) is brought to tears by her employer’s scathing rebukes.

Things get tense as Anna, a mistress to a wealthy gentleman, tries to talk Claire out of professing her love for another: a young woman. On the other hand, Claire has already made plans with her young love to meet at Anna's house in the hopes that she will be able to persuade her new love to engage in a "vile assignation." Things go awry, however, when the girl arrives and recognizes that an emerald necklace that Anna is wearing belongs to her mother.

The plot focuses on whether or not Anna and Claire will be able to find a way to hold on to both the girl and her wealthy but unfaithful father. The play is witty, an extremely hilarious piece which had the audience engaged from the start. A job well done to Clare Mortimer with her constant sarcasm which drove the energy of the piece, Belinda Henwood and her brilliant acting skills and Janna Ramos- Violante, who had me in stitches as the dumb maid. All three actresses have excellent comedy timing which is of course very vital in this piece.

The KickstArt Company won Durban Theatre Awards for Best Production, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for this particular play when it was first premiered in 2005. Now at this year’s National Arts Festival, it seems to be winning the hearts of theatre lovers.

Steven Stead is a genius. His direction of Boston Marriage is superb. So if you are around for the National Arts Festival, or perhaps you are still planning on coming through, then be sure to catch Boston Marriage showing at PJ’s until June 27. Bet your bottom dollar that the exquisite Victorian-era set designed by Greg King will make you feel at home. - Sifiso Sikhakhane