(Atandwa Kani & Sylvaine Strike)
(Review from the
artSMart team from the National Arts Festival)
The planting
process will never be the same again for me after seeing this production!
(Review by Caroline Smart)
National Arts
Festival regular, Sylvaine Strike, returned to the Festival once again this
year – this time as the 2014 Featured Artist. She is also among the numerous
Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners that the Festival managed to include
in their extensive 40th anniversary programme.
Strike opted to reproduce
her successful Black and Blue which
was first performed on the Fringe Festival in 2004 in Grahamstown. In the usual
festival rush, I hadn’t had time to take proper note of the other actor in this
evocative piece and the young man’s appearance didn’t register. That was, until
he opened his mouth to deliver a longish sentence ... and out came John Kani’s
voice! The gentleman is, of course, Atandwa Kani - John
Kani’s son, and his manner of speaking is almost identical to his father’s
distinctive tones, modulations and articulation.
However, he is
definitely his own man and his character was beautifully sympathetic and robust
at the same time.
What happens is
that Mrs Swart closes herself off from the world when her husband dies. Sinking
into paranoia, her “blues” are reflected in her clothes, her furniture and her
household surroundings. Into her life comes a genial and energetic young man
who offers to work as her gardener. Initially, she is terrified of
communicating with him but, as the play progresses, he engages her trust and
eventually coaxes her out into her garden to enjoy the work he has done and finally
get involved herself.
After one delightful
scene, the planting process will never be the same again for me!
It’s the simplest
of stories but Strike makes it powerful through its very simplicity. She uses
very little dialogue in her productions but her merest look, smile or
inclination of the head speak volumes.
Chen Naker’s set
echoes the simplicity most effectively.
Strike dedicates Black and Blue to Mandie van der Spuy in
recognition of her formidable patronage of the Standard Bank Young Artists
Awards programme over the past 22 Years.
A decade later, the production proves that it’s stood
the test of time. Written by Sylvaine Strike, James Cuningham, Helen Iskander
and Danny Mooi, don’t miss it if it comes your way. – Caroline Smart
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