(Irenka Nelson and Prenasha Govindsamy)Explosion of cleverly-written lines delivered by quirky characters take farce to a whole new level of hysterical. (Review by Viresh Prahalath)
Directed by Verne Rowin Munsamy and written and performed by students of the Drama and Performance Studies Programme at UKZN, Handle Your Business! is currently running in the Pieter Scholtz Open Air Theatre.
A good comedian needs a large variety of people, events and circumstances to poke fun at in his life time. Handle Your Business! crams all of this into one show as it humorously hollows out various political, cultural, social and economic matters within South Africa and places it on stage for our entertainment. When walking into the calm, slightly chilly evening atmosphere of the Open Air Theatre, one is unaware of the hysterical madness about to unfold. This is a show where everyone and everything is scalded, even those who have recently passed away, much to the amusement of the crowd!
The production, directed by Verne Rowin Munsamy is a satire that resembles an episode of Saturday Night Live placed within a South African context. Topics of ridicule include Helen Zille, Jacob Zuma, Indian aunties, taxi conductors, Cape flats residents, Afrikaner Okes, foreigners and popular sport, to name a few. The show is an explosion of cleverly-written lines delivered by quirky characters who sometimes take farce to a whole new level of hysterical.
The play, like most satirical pieces uses wit and ridicule to engage our thinking machines and carries a strong social message asking us to “handle our business”. The people and social powers that we have allowed to rule and become norms all become fair game to be parodied in this show. Wonderfully summarised in the Director’s Note: “We allow mediocrity to rule supreme and then wonder how it all happened. It happened so we as comedians can mock it”.
Added to the show is a good dose of stand-up comedy where performers deliver rounds based on their own real life stories. These artists-in-training render wittily-written bouts of stand-up despite them not being comedians themselves. Kamini Govender, who plays a variety of characters from an old Indian aunty, a foreigner and one of Jacob Zuma’s wives to herself, delivers notable comedic performances.
The set is simplistic with a black platform and an upstage curtain that serves as an entrance as well as a shower curtain. When opened it reveals a bathtub in which we get to see various popular (we-worded!) songs including a The Boy is Mine lyrical battle amongst all of Jacob Zuma’s wives. This show could benefit more from a closed, more intimate venue as opposed to the Open Air Theatre because of its SNL-like environment and its minimalistic set.
Costume choices border on risqué at times with characters sometimes appearing with seemingly nothing but a bath towel on. Sprinkles of Indian costume are hastily added to the show in parodies using Bollywood song which manage to work because of the frenetic nature of the show. The stand-up routines are delivered mostly in earnest real-life attire with the actors placed under a spotlight.
With the recent surge of humorous productions in and around Durban this show stands out because of its daring nature and the thought that went into making it. These are some of the benefits of watching a student production where commercial and entertainment quality is taken into consideration but is balanced with well thought-out themes and messages from which students, student actors and the rest of society can benefit.
The show offers a fun, entertaining night out especially to those who are able to laugh at themselves and at various components of our multicultural nation and its political leaders. Many of its crazy, over-the-top characters born from stereotypes, sore spots and real life personalities are funny, entertaining and know exactly how to hit the high notes when singing, that being the high notes of comedy of course.
Handle your Business runs in the Pieter Scholtz Open Air Theatre at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Howard College Campus until May 18 with performances at 18h30 plus a matinee on May 18 at 12h20. Tickets R40 (R20 scholars, students and pensioners). Tickets at the door. Take picnic baskets, cushions and blankets. More information on 031 260 3133 (office hours only). – Veresh Prahalath
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