Innovative direction produces fresh, quirky and quite
unusual production. (Review by Keith Millar)
After a successful appearance at this year’s National Arts
Festival in Grahamstown, the Department of Drama and Production Studies at the
Durban University of Technology has just completed a short run of their
production, Sarcophagus, at the
Courtyard Theatre.
I suppose it is normal to expect students to be edgy, try
something a little different, and to fearlessly push the boundaries in their creative
endeavours. With Sarcophagus the
third year drama students at DUT do not disappoint. Witten by Popi Qwabe and
Genbia Hyla, and with original music by the cast and directorial team, it is
fresh, quirky and quite unusual. Innovative direction is by Buhle Mazibuko.
Described as a musical, it certainly offers a wide and very
pleasant variety of songs all sung a cappella by the cast. The music is used to
underline statements made during the action or to bridge a gap as the sets is
being re-arranged.
The set itself is very basic and consists of a few tables
and drums which are imaginatively arranged in various configurations to depict
scenes such a living room, a doctor’s office and an intensive care ward in a
hospital. The actors also play their part in setting the scenes as they pose as
photographs in the living room or as the machines, complete with hissing and
bleeping sound effects, in the IC ward. It is all very clever and quite
effective.
The action, which could loosely be described as a whodunit,
includes a mother devastated, a child dying, a man shot, a couple torn apart,
an adulterer, an unwanted pregnancy, abortion, a thief, an informer, a murder
of two and a couple of newspaper investigators. Confusing, I know, but this
production is difficult to describe or categorise. It really needs to be seen
be get a full appreciation of how it all pans out.
The performers’ faces are all painted with gold and bright
blue makeup which alludes to the colourful appearance of Sarcophagi.
Performances from the entire cast are good with a particular stand-out been one
of the creators of the piece, Popi Qwabe. She plays a young girl in a coma who,
in fact, can hear everything going on around her. A sustained and strong
performance. This is one to watch out for in the future.
Sarcophagus is an
interesting and unusual student production. It is however a little self-indulgent
and, while it may serve as an excellent learning experience for the students, I
am not sure of its commercial viability. If these young people want to make a
living at their chosen careers when they reach the “real world” next year, they
will have to cut back on the “art” and adopt a more practical, popular approach
to their productions. – Keith Millar
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