NAF: ONE SHOE

Be charmed by this very well-presented physical theatre and music collaboration. (Review by Sifiso Sikhakhane)

This year’s National Arts Festival contains a lot of innovative shows, especially on the fringe programme. One Shoe is amongst the productions which have managed to capture my attention from the beginning until curtain call. Well, it is really hard not be charmed by this very well-presented physical theatre and music collaboration which requires audience members to take off their shoes as they enter the venue and neatly display them onstage

One Shoe is physical theatre performance by Mellissa Alexander with piano accompaniment by Terrence Marais and Yemurai Matibe who lends her angelic soprano voice to the production. Marais also composed the original music for this production which tells the story of a little girl (Mellissa Alexander) and a boy (Terrence Marais) who struggles to overcome a shackled childhood.

An undercurrent of the fear fuels the raging battles inside and out, and a victory demands much patience and love. Through life and art, the two people- closely related - wage their individual struggles for freedom, each one in isolation, and out of the difficulty is borne meaning.

I was intrigued by Mellissa Alexander who moves exceptionally well; Yemurai Matibe who gave me goose bumps whenever she belted out those beautiful sounds, and, of course, Terrence Marais who invites you to share his great love for music whenever he touches the piano. I do hope funders out there are busy negotiating how they can assist this raw gem so that he can be able to continue his studies at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

So take the time to go see One Shoe taking place at Vicky’s at the National Arts Festival until July 4. It is about time that we supported local talent. – Sifiso Sikhakhane