(Daniel Robinson & Thumeka Mzayiya)Excellent and well-directed production from this justifiably award-winning company. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Presented by a conspiracy of clowns in association with FTH:K and the National Arts Festival, Benchmarks is created by the award-winning and multiple-nominated crew that produced Pictures of You, Womb Tide, QUACK! and GUMBO.
A young, funky theatre company, FTH:K focuses on integrating Deaf and hearing performers, audiences and educators, training South Africa's first generation of Deaf people for inclusion in the professional performing arts industry. Their website proudly states that there is currently no other project like it (nor has there ever been) running in South Africa.
Benchmarks is devised and directed by the inimitable Rob Murray with set and props by Craig Leo. The leading roles are played by Liezl de Kock, Daniel Robinson and Thumeka Mzayiya. Costume design is by Jayne Batzofin with mask design and construction by Cristina Salvoldi.
The stage is set with two huge cupboards and a bench. A circle of light spotlights the bench and the auditorium is filled with bird song. Two people in drab clothing lurk around obviously up to no good. At first, it appears as if they’re handling baby peacock puppets but it turns out that these are just arm extensions, cleverly intertwined to look like feathered creatures.
As the title implies, the bench plays an important role for it is here that a sad-looking pen-pusher from the immigration department comes for solace in his lunch-hour. Carefully dusting the seat, he places his lunch-box beside him like a companion. In the lid of the box is a photograph of a beautiful woman who he obviously idolises and he dreams she shares his company while he feeds the birds with crumbs.
The first cupboard opens effectively to reveal the man’s office which is frequented by two ditzy females who are more interested in gaining his affections than doing any work. The other is the home of the beautiful woman in the lunch-box photograph. She lives on booze and pills and dreams of her earlier glamorous and romantic life, dancing with the man in the photograph on her wall.
A new character enters the scenario. An upright Zimbabwean woman, obviously escaping the chaos of her homeland, she is assaulted by policeman who assume that she is the perpetrator and not the victim of the smash and grab that robbed her of her valuables. However, she makes for the immigration office where the man is on duty. Her incomplete application is thrown back at her and she battles to understand what is required of her. A later meeting at the bench with the man becomes confrontational, especially as she has commandeered his favourite position. However, this eventually develops into a hesitant truce and he offers to help her with her immigration papers.
Discovering the man’s secret love for the woman pictured in his lunchbox, she decides to play matchmaker and things develop from there. Instead of fate rewarding her for her act of kindness, she becomes the victim of xenophobia and is seriously attacked. The end is exquisitely touching.
Characters wear masks throughout and it is an extraordinary feat of the performers that they are able to imbue expression into the static masks through sympathetic body movements.
While reminding us that there is a dark side to life in South Africa nowadays, there is much endearing humour in this well-directed production which is beautifully performed at all levels – but this is what we have come to expect from the FTH:K creative team. – Caroline Smart
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