Musho! unearths a real gem. (Review by Keith Millar)
The beauty of events such as the Musho! Festival, which is currently on
at the Catalina Theatre at Wilson’s Wharf, is that they sometimes unearth a
real gem.
Last night was such an occasion when the superb production, Dear Breeder, took to the stage for,
sadly, its only performance at the festival.
Created and performed by the gifted duo of Karen Logan and Kasia Vosloo,
and directed by Iain EWOK Robinson, Dear
Breeder is a clever, quirky, hilariously funny and very entertaining musical
theatre comedy.
On entering the theatre one was confronted with a delightful set
depicting Peter Rabbit Pre-Primary School. Among the mini-sized plastic tables
and chairs, and many toys, are Logan and Vosloo mimicking children at play. Then,
with the use of original parody folk songs and comedy monologues, they take you
on a wonderful and hilarious journey through the joys, and sometimes heartaches,
of raising children and getting involved in their activities such as the
planning and presenting of the school’s annual nativity play.
All the stereotypes are involved. From the very enthusiastic teacher to
super mom, yoga mom and even glamour mom. Karen Logan, moving seamlessly from
character to character, brings them all brilliantly to life with a wonderful
use of pace, pauses and comic timing.
Kasia Vosloo who provides all the music has a lovely voice and is an
accomplished guitarist. The lyrics of the songs are very smart and very witty
and form an integral part of the story. Patrick the Porcupine's a Homophobic is particularly hilarious and one couldn’t
help but wonder if a few members of the audience weren’t going to do themselves
a damage for laughing.
Dear Breeders is a production which all parents
(particularly moms) who have enjoyed the experience of raising children, and been
involved in their activities, will relate to very closely.
Logan and Vosloo are both mothers of toddlers and they have created a
work which is not only very funny but is also loving, thought-provoking and,
for some of us, na ostalgic reflection of what many will regard as one of the
most important times in their own, and their children’s lives.
In the end, one is left with the feeling that there can be no hard and
fast rules for child rearing. All one
can only rely on instinct, do your best – and then hope for the best.
One can only hope that this wonderful work will see life again sometime
soon. Keep an eye out for it, and make sure you don’t miss seeing it. I
certainly will go again.
The Musho! Festival is presented by PANSA with support from Twist
Theatre Development Projects, The KZN Department of Arts and Culture, The Daily
News, BASA and the Arts and Culture Trust (ACT). For more details of the rest
of the Musho! programme visit http://www.mushofestival.co.za
– Keith Millar
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