(Left: Kim Blanche Adonis. Pic supplied)
The writer/director and performer collaboration were a match made in heaven where content and delivery joined to create a theatrical experience par excellence while still encouraging some introspection on important issues before our upcoming elections. (Review by Romi and Gemma Schumann)
My Fellow South Africans by Mike Van Graan was everything it was promised to be. The compilation of sketches, a creative balance between the uproariously funny and the ‘uncomfortable’, gave the full house audience at the Alliance Française a highly satisfying evening of political satire.
The script was so skilfully written, the references and word play so on point, that a bare stage with a black box was all that was required for the performer to hold the audience in the palm of her hand from the first line of this one woman show.
Durban audiences were introduced to the wonderful talent of Kim Blanche Adonis. Dressed in basic black, without a single prop or costume piece in sight, this exceptional actress played her way through South African characters that came from all corners of the country, with a guest appearance by William Shakespeare, - and a chicken. (My favourite)
While switching styles of delivery with consummate ease, Adonis’s character and accent work had the audience laughing out loud and totally enthralled, being entertaining, and thought provoking at the same time.
In the question-and-answer session after the show, Van Graan said that theatre reflects society back at us, and that it lets us take a look at ourselves and challenges us to be better.
At times the audience felt uncomfortable with the fast paced, witty dialogue, and varied representations of people and politics, especially when calling back the past but then the scales would tip, and the humorous side of political satire would hold sway once again.
The writer/director and performer collaboration were a match made in heaven where content and delivery joined to create a theatrical experience par excellence while still encouraging some introspection on important issues before our upcoming elections.
The duo has 66 performances across the country behind them and hopefully many more to come it runs in KZN in various venues until September 22 (see below) and given the upcoming elections this revue needs to be as well attended as it was at Alliance Française.
This is not merely a piece of theatre, but a form of activism and encouragement for our fellow South Africans to come together as one to create the South Africa we have been dreaming about for our future. - Romi and Gemma Schumann
Further performances take place on:
Hexagon Theatre, Pietermaritzburg:
September 15 at 15h00 and 19h30
Saturday 16 at 16h00 and 19h30
Book through Webtickets.co.za. No under 16s
360 Sydney Road, Congella
September 21 at 17h00 for 17h30 start
(Parking at 400 Sydney Road)
Booking through
Quicket.co.za. No under 16s
Thomas More College, 15 Sykes Rd, Kloof
Wednesday 20th at 19h00
Booking through Quicket.co.za. No under 16s
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