(Back: Sandile Mthembu, Ashwin Singh & Rowin Munsamy. Seated: Menzi Mkwane, Ralph Lawson, Michael Gritten & Sivani
Chinappan. Photo by Val
Adamson)
Strong
cast and director do justice to Ashwin Singh’s script. (Review by Caroline
Smart)
The
Singh Siblings in association with The Playhouse Company presented Ashwin
Singh’s drama, To House, in the
Playhouse Drama from October 5 to 7, 2017.
This is
a new production of To House which
was first staged at The Playhouse in 2006 and later at the Catalina Theatre. It
forms one of Ashwin Singh’s impressive collection of plays and was included in New South
African Plays, published by the UK publications company Aurora Metro Books.
In 2013, Aurora Metro Books published Singh’s individual anthology, Durban Dialogues, Indian Voice, in which
To House was the headline play.
The play deals with Jason (Michael Gritten)
and Sibusiso Khumalo (Menzi Mkwane) who live in the same complex and clash over
body corporate issues. There is a barely-concealed hatred between them –
Khumalo is on the up-and-up, being a lawyer and university lecturer, while
Jason’s life is falling apart, with his retrenchment and impending costly
divorce.
They can see across to each other’s
apartments and Jason’s fury is aggravated by the fact that Khumalo has bought
exactly the same furniture that he has. What’s more, Khumalo has a feisty live-in
Indian girlfriend Kajol (Sivani Chinappan) and the pair’s overt sexual
activities add fuel to his fire.
Jason is plotting to bring Khumalo down and
is trying to persuade the highly camp Sanjay (Rowin Munsamy) to help him.
Sanjay and Khumalo are supposed to be writing an academic paper together but
Khumalo has more ambitious ideas in mind.
Sanjay has a close friendship with Kajol so
things get complicated. Kajol has her own problems, with her brother’s constant
lack of concern for their ageing mother.
Then there’s the catalyst, Uncle Deena (Ashwin
Singh), who decides to take command of the future of his sister. He also wants
Kajol out of her relationship with Khumalo and sets about ruining their
friendship.
The only person who is leading an
uncomplicated life is Nimrod (Sandile Mthembu) who looks after the grounds of
the complex. Mthembu
also provides scene links by his cheerful singing. Unfortunately, we only ever
saw him at the back through the window or in the park.
Having directed To House the first time around, I found it quite an interesting
experience to review it. As the play and its convoluted plot progressed, all
the lines and action came flooding back from my memories.
I was highly impressed with Ralph Lawson’s
direction. Doing full justice
to Singh’s script, he brought out the best in his strong
cast. There are fine performances all round with Gritten and Mkwane taking full
honours, particularly for their fight scenes.
To
House is an edgy, volatile and thought-provoking
play and looks at clashes between cultures by those who refuse to tolerate
another person’s race or customs. Challenging its cast, To House pulls no punches – except, of course, for the ones that
Khumalo levels at Jason in some very impressive fight scenes! All kudos to
Gritten for handling the falls so credibly.
Lawson
has cleverly designed a set that represents the two lounges – identified by
upstage doors with different colours and numbering. The furniture remains
exactly the same – as per the storyline - and the change of location is
assisted by blackouts and lighting changes. There is a large window set centre
stage which lifts to reveal the outdoor scenes in the park.
Unfortunately,
being set so far back on the stage it was often difficult to hear some of the
dialogue in these scenes.
Some 11
years on, To House reminds us that
cultural and racial tolerance and understanding in South Africa still has a
long way to go. Apart from this, Singh’s writing also contains much humour
which makes the production entertaining without being confrontational. Catch it
if it comes your way! – Caroline Smart
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