(Brett Collopy and Mandisa Blose)Greek mythology experience offered by large student cast in ambitious production featuring a very novel set. (Review by Maurice Kort)
Continuing their successful partnership of the past, the Drama Departments of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and the Durban University of Technology (DUT), under the direction of Tamar Meskin and Tanya van der Walt, respectively, have ambitiously mounted Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses with a very large cast of over 70 students at the UKZN Pieter Scholtz Open Air Theatre, Howard College Campus.
In their programme notes, the directors mention that to the best of their knowledge this play, an unexpected Broadway hit in 2002, has never been produced in South Africa. This is not surprising as the play is set in and around a large, very functional, swimming pool, with water playing an integral part of the action of the play - the actors get very, very wet. As a result the set, designed by Mervyn McMurtry, is very impressive and the swimming pool, reminiscent of a Roman atrium, fits in splendidly with the Greek theme of the play as the story is adapted from the classical Ovid poem of myths, based on David R. Slavitt's free-verse translation of The Metamorphoses of Ovid, and is presented as a series of 13 vignettes covering ten myths.
The stories flow smoothly from the one to the next, sometimes as tableaux, song or dance (all beautifully executed). After the Prologue featuring the Muses and Zeus (Jason Barber), the well-known story of Midas (Aphiwe Namba) whose desire for wealth and that everything he touches would turn to gold ending in tragedy is well presented. Next is the great love of Alcyone (Jessica Sole) and Ceyx (Brett Collopy), doomed to tragedy due to the adventurous desire of Ceyx to take to the seas - the swimming pool becomes the wind-whipped ocean - and his being taken by Poseidon (Aphiwe Namba), the God of the Sea. Love is a strong theme throughout and Metamorphoses is about the transformative power of love – love conquers all, even death. Erysichton (Thandanani Qwabe) wantonly destroys a tree and in punishment by the Gods he suffers insatiable Hunger (Thembela Mgandela) which finally proves his undoing. Further stories of mythology enacted are Atlanta (Thembela Mgandela) and Icarus (Caitlin Goulding); Orpheus (Mfundiseni Ndwalane) and Eurydice (Julia Wilson) - enter Hades (Jason Barber) and Hermes (Professor Nqumako); Narcissus (Nkosinathi Sibisi) and Echo (Sindiswe Buthelezi) - another well known tale; and Pomona (Lihle Cele) and Vertumnus (Brandon Moulder).
Be entertained further by the familiar characters from mythology of Myrrha (Donna Steel); Adonis (Thandanani Qwabe); Phaeton (Jason Barber); Eros (Brett Collopy) and Psyche (Mandisa Blose); and finally Baucis (Sisanda Tshali) and Philemon (Siphesihle Khwela).
Rowan Munsamy and Lloyd O’Connor are jointly assistant-directors; and lighting design is by Tina Le Roux and Luke O’Gorman. They are to be commended on their lighting design, particularly as the performance I attended was plagued by inclement weather and the performance had to be stopped due to rain and danger to the expensive lighting.
Fortunately, the play continued with rearranged lighting but without the stage front lights. The actors continued smoothly with their performances after the break, full credit to all concerned. The cast are beautifully and imaginatively costumed and the whole production is most impressive. The various roles were convincing, the diction and projection loud and clear despite the adverse weather. The sound effects were effective, almost too effective, the thunder being too realistic as it occurred after the rain break and bred thoughts of an imminent real storm. The production certainly had a large cast but they were well disciplined. It was not all Greek tragedy and there were funny moments and dialogue much appreciated by a good house.
There is one more performances of Metamorphoses tomorrow (Sunday, May 22) at 18h30. Bookings and further information from Lebo Sibisi on 031 373 2194. Note that the performances are outdoors at a swimming pool so dress warmly and bring a picnic if desired. Enjoy the Greek myth experience. – Maurice Kort
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