(Daniel Mpilo Richards)
(Reviews from the artSMart team
currently in Grahamstown at the 2016 National Arts Festival)
The team
has produced some comedy gold. (Review by Verne
Rowin Munsamy)
ExploSIV
Productions presented Pay Back the Curry,
directed by Rob van Vuuren, written by Mike van Graan and featuring Daniel
Mpilo Richards who just oozes talent. In this satire he gets to show off
versatile set of skills as he sings, plays guitar, explores several accents,
dances and at one point shows tremendous focus as he delivers a six-way
conversation by himself. Masonic Front, the performance venue, was too small to
contain the talent displayed and the audience jam-packed into the theatre.
A descendant
of the Bafana Republic franchise,
this satire leaves no stone unturned in terms of the current state of affairs
in South Africa. Through songs sung at Idols
auditions, interview on sports shows, aeroplane trips and an array of mediums,
we hear clever lyrics, rhymes and dialogue that mocks and taunts SA politics,
the Penny Sparrow and Guptasagas and #feesmustfall, to name a few.
Van
Vuuren’s directing is evident in the physical exploration of all these myriad
character from all walks of like. Mike van Graan, known for his political
pieces, does not disappoint with this script. Along with Richards, who is
simply remarkable, the team has produced some comedy gold. Thoroughly
entertaining. - Verne Rowin Munsamy
(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)