(Titus
Mekgwe & Aubrey Mogale)
This excellent play dealing with the dreams
of two young boys, was one of the highlights of the 2018 Hilton Arts Festival
for me. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Narrative
Dreams made its premiere at the National Arts
Festival in Grahamstown 2014, winning a Standard Bank Ovation award, and
deservedly so.
Written by Lereko Mfono and directed by
international award-winning director and actor, Omphile Molusi, Narrative Dreams was developed through
ASSITEJ South Africa’s ‘Inspiring a Generation’ programme, where Lereko formed
part of a selection of four young writers chosen to create work especially for
the young.
This excellent play dealing with the dreams
of two young boys, was one of the highlights of the 2018 Hilton Arts Festival
for me.
David (Aubrey Mogale) and Morena (Titus
Mekgwe) are youngsters from two completely different backgrounds but they are
both strong believers in the achievement of dreams.
David attends St Peter’s school run by
nuns, his English is impeccable and he has eyes for Naledi, a young girl in his
class. A chance remark from her about his mother tongue makes him realise that
he didn’t know he even had one. His mother is dead and questions to his father
are simply dealt with impatience. He determines to discover and learn his
mother tongue and teach Naledi who is beginning to stir his first experiences
of sexual arousal.
Morena is bright and energetic and comes
from a township area and is equally curious about life. His closest friend is
his chicken and he talks to it all the time until the day his mother slaughters
the bird for food. He discovers the pain and anger of loss for the first time.
Morena is friendly with a bus driver who gives him books to read but Morena
eventually admits that he would like to go somewhere awesome rather than read
about it. The driver takes Morena to a tree on a sacred historical site and
challenges him to climb the tree.
David’s father meanwhile has decided that
it is time that his son meets his mother’s family where he learns that his
mother tongue is Sesotho.
Things eventually progress to the stage
where both youngsters end up at the tree and aim to climb it to achieve their
dreams.
Under Molusi’s skilled direction, Mogale
and Mekgwe put in excellent performances. They take on different characters,
creating credible personalities at all levels. There are clever touches such as
the simple process of unrolling their trouser legs to full-length indicating
that some years have passed.
The set is simple. Props are laid out on
the floor – dinky toys, a tie, a tiny TV, caps, books and photographs. There
are two frames indicating windows – David’s very structured and Morena’s more
rustic. There is a beautiful scene when the youngsters start climbing the tree.
Once again, hats off to ASSITEJ SA for the
impressive work they do for theatre for young people. - Caroline Smart
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