Visual, physical
and puppet theatre create a gripping story. (Review by Khinali Bagwandeen)
Rhodes University
is commonly viewed as the heart of Grahamstown, and with one of the strongest
drama departments in South Africa, their student production Void was
eagerly awaited by many.
The captivating
story takes place in a time where the world we know of has been destroyed and
all that is left is the frightening and unfamiliar remains of the past. The
plot revolves around two main characters, a middle-aged man who might seem like
a protective hoarder of things from the world in the past and a young woman who
is in pursuit of answers and something bigger. Despite her original goal, she
becomes quite enthralled by the ‘stuff’ the man keeps.
The character of
the man is played by two actors, Tyson Ngubeni and Shaun Sankey. With the use
of a puppet, the two actors merge into one, sharing a distinctive relationship,
almost separating his thoughts and his actions from each other.
The two key
characters forge a friendship that generates a very unfamiliar association
between them, it is rather boisterous and affectionate. At some times it varies
on a scale from valuable and harmful to the survival and emotional wellbeing of
both. This friendship is bounced back forth with the use of humour and drama,
tapping into the emotions of the audience. The underlying themes relationships
and the attachment of the past is something we all can openly relate to.
Directors Natalie
Ehlers and Ameera Najwa Mills combine visual, physical and puppet theatre to
create a gripping story together with a cast of boundless talent and
outstanding capabilities. The effort and time put into this production is
evident and the attention to detail is exceptional.
Most audiences will
walk into the production expecting a lot and surely will not be disappointed. Void
has one more performance at The Rehearsal Room- Monument Building tomorrow (July
4) at 14h30. - Khinali Bagwandeen
For more information on the National Arts Festival click
on the banner advert at the top of this page or visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za
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