(Above: John Kani & Michael Richard
The actors, John Kani and Michael Richard, are stellar in their performances. They display a refined acting technique and are poised on the delivery of text, characters and the emotional rollercoaster that the play traverses. (Review by Verne Rowin Munsamy)
Last year for my birthday, a dear friend of mine gifted me a play, the best gift. As I read through the pages scribed by John Kani, I reminisced on my own apartheid politics and thought what a joy it would be to watch Dr Kani perform this play in a theatre for a live audience.
So when I heard that the play would be performed in Durban, I jumped at the opportunity to watch a living legend perform live in a theatre - especially since the mask restrictions had been lifted a mere day before.
To return to the theatre with a full audience in the Playhouse Opera was like magic. The theatre was suddenly abuzz with laughter and hordes of people waiting with anticipation in the foyer for what would be another historic performance. I last saw Dr Kani in Nothing But The Truth many moons ago and this play once again reflects on our all-too-familiar struggles with race politics even now, 25 years after the birth of democracy.
South African Realism has many facets and this is a prime example of simplistic realism where the climax of the play occurs almost at the end and the resolution is left quite open as race politics does not seem to have a happy, neat ending. The writing offers many thought-provoking one-liners that are interspliced with reflective and questioning monologues. I relished the Shakespeare quotes from various plays like Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar and, of course, King Lear, the role for which Richard's character is rehearsing and hoping will be his last performance.
The actors, John Kani and Michael Richard, are stellar in their performances. They display a refined acting technique and are poised on the delivery of text, characters and the emotional rollercoaster that the play traverses. Each of the three segments is woven together with maskanda music which works well to set up the tone for the section that follows. Janice Honeyman directs the show with rhythm and pace, elevates the emotions to exacting point and allows for the show to be gripping without grabbing too much. Hats off to the cast and producers of this show which is sure to resonate with audiences for some time to come.
The set design, in Honeyman fashion, depicts the lived-in space of a white suburban home with window pane walls, decorated with books, statues and gin hidden in various crevices. While the last section, set in Soweto, is a more simplistic design revealing a vast difference in social standings between the White and Black.
Other race politics that are highlighted begins with mispronunciation of names, white entitlement to status, the ever-present "enamel" cup and the distinct use of a “servants'' quarters. The detailing in the show is remarkable and leaves many questions and a few resolutions at the end. This is definitely a show not to be missed!
Kunene and the King runs in the Playhouse Opera until July 3, 2022. Tickets R120 booked through Webtickets at https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/Event.aspx?itemid=1515123078 - Verne Rowin Munsamy
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