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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

SAVE MY SOUL @ MUSHO!



Reflective and cathartic piece, with the actors performing to their fullest. (Review by Philisiwe Sithole)

Forming part of the Musho! Festival, the Musho! With a Twist programme is presented in collaboration with Twist Projects.

Save My Soul is created by Siyakha Performing Artists, mentored by Themba Mkhoma.

A death-row prisoner, known around for the prison for his pathological silence, is approached by a nun who visits him in prison. While the nun aims to save the soul of the supposedly violent prisoner before his execution, he finally talks and his story unravels before her.

The story unfolds through flashbacks and different characters defined in different costume changes also by revealing what's inside the silence. The appalling truth saddens the nun and provokes her to tell her pain - yet by talking, they both release the monster that has been eating them alive. They both become free and the prisoner dies peacefully knowing that his soul will rest.

Save My Soul is a reflective and cathartic piece, with the actors performing to their fullest. While this is a heavy and beautiful piece, I felt with more actors on stage it would become more alive and bring justice to the play which proves to have potential. However, the actors need to pay more attention to articulation and projection.

For more details about the Musho! Festival, visit www.mushofestival.co.za – Philisiwe Sithole