(Dhaveshan Govender and Shika Budhoo)Entertaining showcase that should not be missed! (Review by Viresh Prahalath)
Nesting on the edge of the beautiful platform of Wilson’s Wharf, surrounded by the stunning night scenery of ghostly white boats and bright lights, the Catalina Theatre hosts a great double bill that has hilarious comedy and touching characters. Shika and the King, which consists of two one-man plays, Shika-Land and King of Old Trafford, is truly an entertaining showcase and should not be missed!
Shika-Land starts with a sincere representation of herself as Shika Budhoo takes us down a comical and memorable journey through the lives of five different women around the world who share the same name.
Using comedy as her first vice to tell stories, we laugh our way along the piece, sometimes stumbling onto issues that these women face, such as those of arranged marriages (unfortunately, a very familiar story used to represent Indian women) and the hardships of a single mother in Trinidad. The popular melodies that Shika sings pleasingly during her costume changes provide a reflective moment in between the madness and seriousness of the characters she portrays.
A formidable feature of the performance is that the characters that she renders are completely different from each other! We are treated to a good array of accents and mannerisms that work well enough to transform her into a different person each time.
What makes her funny is the conviction with which she plays her characters, as wacky as they may be. A memorable role in the piece is that of a young French woman who is trying to break up with her boyfriend by mail using almost half a notepad in an attempt to get the correct approach. Absolutely hilarious with a great response from the crowd!
Shika-Land is a generally well-imagined show from the actress/writer Shika Budhoo and director Dhaveshan Govender that works well and will have you rolling off the aisles with laughter.
In King of Old Trafford, Dhaveshan Govender portrays an animated character called Ricky who is both hilarious in his exploits and real in his flaws. Being a die-hard Manchester United fan from Chatsworth, Ricky spends a great deal of time with the boys watching the game at Old Trafford, a bar named after the famous playing grounds in the UK. In describing his experiences and the people he has formed and broken relationships with in his life, the audience is treated to a comical account of what goes on in the mind of an alcohol-loving “Man United” fan.
Ricky’s characterisations of the friends and family in his life are very amusing, especially that of the penniless car guard who is always asking everyone for spare change. As the show moves along, with many references to the game and seemingly quite a few sips of beer by Ricky, we are exposed to the issues that are present in his life.
Whilst witnessing sad revelations around the character’s life, one feela a sense of sympathy for the character that has created dismal life conditions for himself and is bearing the brunt of his choices. For this reason, the play can be classified as having both a funny and emotional tone.
The show works very well in producing both humour and sympathy for an almost pitiable character, though it does tend to drag a teensy bit when uncovering some of the circumstances on stage. Regardless, it is still a good piece of work that is definitely worth the view!
Watch these shows, if you are not familiar with them already, to see some of the exciting content that is coming out of a talented Durban. If you like comedy, you will definitely enjoy this one! Bear in mind that Shika-Land does carry an age restriction of 16 due to the language used in the play though it certainly cannot be described as vulgar as the use of expletives are far and few between and used with good motivations. – Viresh Prahalath
Both productions will appear on the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown at the Masonic Front. Shika-Land is performed on June 28 at 16h00, June 29 at 18h00 and June 30 at 12h00 and July 1 at 22h00. King of Old Trafford follows with shows on July 2 at 10h00, July 3 at 18h00, July 5 at 16h00, July 6 at 14h00 and 22h00 and July 8 at 10h00.
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