(David
Viviers & Jemma Kahn. Photo by Harry Lock)
If you like clever and interesting theatre that is
both serious and humorous, well-directed with excellent performances, then
"Cellist with Rabies" is definitely for you! (Review by Caroline Smart)
Cellist with Rabies was
this year’s Flagship Production of the 2019 Hilton Arts Festival.
This extraordinary story was created
by Jemma Kahn who wrote the script and appears in the play with David Viviers. The
director of this highly thought-provoking piece of theatre is Jaco Bouwer.
Bouwer and Kahn are both winners of
the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre Award. This is their
first collaboration and most definitely won’t be the last, in my opinion.
Basically it’s about a virologist
(who also plays the cello) named Joan Remy whose job is to study viruses. In
this case, her focus is on rabies. However, as the pre-publicity informs us,
Joan “is in love with rabies”. Now that’s a seriously mind-blowing statement!
However, we learn that Joan is
currently studying – with close attention – a live sample of rabies and while
the medical research laboratory at which she works is trying to find a cure for
this virus, she’s completely enamoured with it.
On a personal level, she is also at
odds with her supervisor with whom she has had a sexual relationship. He
presents what she believes is a false paper at the conference at which she is
also due to speak. She is so incensed that when it comes her turn, she
completely refutes everything he has said and pulls his research apart.
So she is now about to lose her job
but before things progress any further, the sample she is studying suddenly
becomes personified. Rabies, who is played by David Viviers, is a tall handsome
man and her love intensifies.
Unfortunately, I was seated right at
the back of the theatre. I wish I had been placed a bit closer to the stage as
I missed facial expressions and the finer details of props and their usage. I
also didn’t get the reasoning behind Rabies’ occasional use of a hand-held
microphone.
If you like clever and interesting
theatre that is both serious and humorous, well-directed with excellent
performances, then Cellist with Rabies
is definitely for you!
The ending is brilliantly done but I’m
not giving it away! – Caroline Smart
For more information on the Hilton Arts Festival
visit www.hiltonfestival.co.za
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