(Nozipho Mbhele who,
among others, puts in a captivating performance)
Applause to Marcia Peschke for the courage to address sensitive
issues in a theatrical form. (Review by Philisiwe Sithole)
Living Dead Girl is
presented by Courtyard Theatre written and directed by Marcia Peschke with
lighting design by Mthandazo Mofokeng, video editing by Wesleigh Thomas Hall and
music accompaniment and arrangement by Dumisani Mkhize. This production is made
possible by the kind arrangements of SAMRO.
As you enter Courtyard Theatre premises you are welcomed by
students whose faces are painted with the death image directing you to an
exhibit room with theatrical elements. Deafening silence conjures your
thoughts, heaviness oozes in your body and creates numbness as you are face to
face with victims of rape, genital amputation, kidnapping.
This exhibition promotes Black Thursday in fighting this alarming
scourge which disproportionately affects every girl child, women, mothers and
grandmothers. The room is filled with pamphlets and articles on a wall about
raping of our women and soliciting this horrid deed. The purpose of this
exhibit is to prepare you with facts and realities for the production you about
to watch. It acts as an entrance to a life of women.
Living Dead Girl continues
the theme of the exhibition in using performance styles that include
auto-ethnography, spoken word poetry and multimedia as these styles are self-reflecting
and immediately create a sense of urgency and self-searching on how people
contribute to prolong violence against women.
The play is also about empowering women, man and
transgenders in taking a stand in their own differences and right to be heard. Living Dead Girl has fragmented
structure of scenes, songs and images portraying different women from different
cultures. There is no through line or story, yet different characters come back
in different scenes. The director could have shortened the two and a half hour
show but should be applauded for the courage to address these sensitive issues
in a theatrical form.
The show ends in a group image in which all the characters leave
the theatre holding a stick, preparing for a battle ahead of them. Captivating
performances from Nozipho Mbhele, Mayenziwe Zuma, Lungile Mtshali, Kagisho
Tsimakwane, Cwesile Mkise, Gugu Mbhele, Nokwanda Nhleko, Noxolo Msomi and the
rest of the cast showed dedication and commitment in telling the story.
Living Dead Girl runs
until March 21 at the Courtyard Theatre, Mansfield Road. Bookings and more
information on 031 373 2194. - Philisiwe Sithole
Posts
