Strong performances by both actresses. (Review by Caroline
Smart)
This year the Musho! Festival presents two programmes under
the title Musho With a Twist. Created by the individual groups with mentorship
through Twist Projects, each show contains a double bill of two short stories.
Yesterday’s second production in Musho With a Twist 1 was Too Long from the Sinethemba Theatre
Group, written by Themba Mchunu, directed by Nobuhle Buthelezi and featuring Bonisiwe
Khumalo and Lungile Dumisa.
As Noma, Khumalo is a commanding presence from the very
beginning. Heavily pregnant and dressed in an elaborate wedding dress she sings
a lullaby but there’s no soothing softness here. More a cry of desperation. She’s
not in a good space. Her friend Thenjiwe has just announced that she’s giving up
mollycoddling her – after all, it’s been two years since Noma took maternity
leave and there’s still no sign of the baby.
Is Noma really pregnant or isn’t she? As the play
progresses, we meet a number of characters on her road to delivery – both practical
and spiritual. The role requires strong dramatic skills and much screaming in
the final scene which Khumalo handles well.
One thing about Musho – which focuses on one and two-handers
– is that it forces writers and directors to be creative. It also requires a
strong level of versatility if a number of characters are involved.
Apart from taking the role of Thenjiwe, Dumisa plays an irritable
rubbish collector, a flustered doctor and a very demanding sangoma - all with
equal credibility. The scene between Noma and the sangoma was highly amusing.
Too Long features
strong performances by both actresses.
The other production in the double bill was Freedom Forest from the Izwi Youth
Theatre Group. (See separate review)
Musho with a Twist 2 – offering a further double bill of two
short shows - takes place today (Sunday January 18 at 14h00). The productions
are Mpilo and Themba from the Siyathuthuka
Theatre Group and The Dress from Lashona
Arts and Creations.
Musho! runs until tomorrow
evening (Sunday, January 18) offering a variety of one-off performances. For
the full Musho! Festival programme visit www.mushofestival.co.za
Tickets R50. (R30
students, OAP and PANSA members) booked via Computicket or by phoning 031 837
5999.
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