(Review from the artSMart team covering the 2014
Witness Hilton Arts Festival which ran at Hilton College from September 19 to
21)
All credit to TQ Zondi and Mpilo Nzimande for their
versatility and riveting performances. (Review by Pauline Dalais)
Woza Albert, a
Hexagon Theatre under the excellent direction of Peter Mitchell and featuring
TQ Zondi and Mpilo Nzimande, was presented at the recent Witness Hilton Arts
Festival.
Under the guidance and direction of Barney Simon, Mbongeni
Ngema and Percy Mtwa’s Woza Albert
was first produced in 1981 at the Market Theatre. Since then it has deservedly
won numerous awards and reached a world-renowned status.
Though we are 20 years into democracy, a production like
this is important to remind the “born frees” of the apartheid era, bringing to
life people’s suffering, sacrifices, challenges and emotions as well as the
struggles that so many went through to finally achieve a democratic South
Africa. Not to mention the restrictions of curfews and the dreaded dompas.
Woza Albert
(meaning “Rise, Albert!”) sends a powerful message about the seriousness of
apartheid, while showing people’s sense of survival and capacity to find humour
in difficult situations. The actors confidently play a range of characters from
policemen or ordinary people on the street, to a servant or a domineering white
boss.
They also created their own sound effects, like travelling
and conversing on a train or in a car, which was fascinating.
The thread that runs through the play is the second coming
of Morena (the Saviour) who they believe will change their lives. Each
character reacts individually, one being a Doubting Thomas and the other a firm
believer. This interaction often created much humour.
The arrival of the Saviour (courtesy of SAA) becomes more
foreboding as his life is relived in an apartheid context. There was an
extremely moving scene in the graveyard when Morena came in looking for Lazarus
and identified the resting places of struggle heroes.
All credit to TQ Zondi and Mpilo Nzimande for their
versatility and riveting performances. However, I did feel the end was a bit
too rushed. I would have liked that played out more.
A Hexagon Theatre production, Woza Albert was supported by the Department of Arts & Culture.
– Pauline Dalais
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