(Pic by Val Adamson)
The directors must be commended for
finding a place (literally and figuratively) for everyone on stage. So many
students, levels of skill, and different talents were showcased yet blended
into a seamless, tight production. (Review by Romi Schumann)
ABAMINZA: Dialogues with the Drowned unearths recovered histories of men who perished on the SS Mendi.
Not many South Africans are aware of the part that black South African troops played in our contribution to the ‘fight against the Kaiser’ in World War 1. The DUT second year Drama and Production students have highlighted an aspect of this in the tragedy of the needless sinking of the SS Mendi in 1917 in an original and multifaceted production. Directed and devised by Dr Tanya van der Walt (HOD Drama) and Dr Tamar Meskin (Senior lecturer) the Courtyard Theatre played host to a performance that was a journey back in time.
The fascinating original script by Meskin and van der Walt in collaboration with Sibahle Biyela, Nomasonto Gcabashe, Aristide Lambert, Nthombizanele Mngoma, Sthabile Zondo and members of the cast was drawn from many sources including Dancing the Death Drill (Khumalo 2017) The students themselves gave flesh and heart to the bones of the drowned as they went beyond historical record and created lives filled with dreams and fears, family and longing for all the names mentioned in the play.
Performed mostly in Zulu, other African languages, and some English, the heroes of over a century ago were given voice and the tragic waste of life is being brought into the light after being swept under the rug for so long.
It was not all sombre and sad though, and comedy found its place through some of the characters and situations, especially during the recruitment and training process of the troops. The moving telling of the tragedy and its aftermath was deeply felt by the audience, and was all portrayed through movement and dance, a poetic script, projections, and live original music and singing.
A word must be said about the music. The original, live singing and instrumentals were so beautifully integrated into the production, enhancing and lifting the performance with rich voices, exquisite harmonies, and proficient onstage guitar by Ben van der Walt binding scenes together. The strong musical African culture was certainly brought to the fore in the telling of this story.
The directors must be commended for finding a place (literally and figuratively) for everyone on stage. So many students, levels of skill, and different talents were showcased yet blended into a seamless, tight production. The simple, neutral costumes really worked well as did the minimal use of props, relying rather on the different aspects of performance to tell the story. At no point did the stage seem overcrowded and the creative use of the strikingly simple levelled set (Rogers Ganesan) and multiple entrances enhanced the illusion of space even further. The AV and lighting components of the show by Stephen Woodroffe were unobtrusive and sensitive, providing a beautifully atmospheric backdrop.
“It is important to remember the sacrifices of the past and to carry the memories forward into the present so that we learn from them.” Not only was this a learning experience for the cast (the performance was an exam) but for the audience too. History was brought to life in this fine piece of theatre. - Review by Romi Schumann
Remaining performances are: October 19 at 16h00 and Friday, October 20 at 18h00.
Tickets R50 (R20 for students.)
Contact: Bawinile on 031 3732194, or email:
BawinileM1@dut.ac.za
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