(Pics by Val
Adamson)
(An extraordinary
epic adventure. Review by Charlotte Fairfax)
The Prince of Egypt is a joyous life-affirming parable of faith and hope. Taking place in the Playhouse Opera from July 10 to 19, it is an important reminder for a world, and country, in crisis.
The Young Performers Project just keeps getting better! For the July school holidays, the YPP project sees Roberto Pombo in the director’s chair for the first time, breathing new life into a quite extraordinary musical unfamiliar to Durban audiences – an adaptation of the DreamWorks film based on the story of Moses as told in the book of Exodus.
Moses’s dramatic adventurous life is well-suited to a theatrical adaptation – the story is familiar: baby in the bullrushes; walking sticks which morph into snakes; burning bushes which don’t burn; ten epic tragedies including floods of blood and plagues of frogs; the parting of the waters of the Red Sea; and Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.
The story over-ambitiously ticks every plot box eclipsing contemporary tales like Game of Thrones with its sibling rivalry; magic and sorcery; war and pestilence; love, romance and self-doubt. Loads of self-doubt. And pure, powerful faith in bucketloads.
(Jethro (Daniel
Mayiza) – the charming high priest of Midian and father to Tzipporah and her
sisters – with Moses (in white) and the desert people of Midian)
A big sweeping story to work with. The focus of the musical version is
the complex relationship between Moses and Ramses - the two headstrong naïve
young men, brought up as bothers in privilege, and the life choices they both
make.
Everything about this production is bold, considered and confident. Pombo has achieved a masterful YPP debut in his deft, thoughtful, interesting direction. Every inch of the stage is used to full effect, visually emphasising the story’s scale and majesty and giving the cast lots of space to move. And move they do! Pombo’s directorial love language is physical theatre and dance, and he has forged a fabulous connection with choreographer Evashnee Pillay in what must be one of her most challenging projects to date.
The large corps of dancers set the mood, tell the story and are living props: hair forward they become horses pulling chariots; crawling on the ground they become exhausted slaves; with red streamers they are fire; and with blue silks they are the sea.
There are two teams of alternating “juniors” – 40 in each - of primary school youngsters who contribute their well-practiced singing voices to the production’s chorus and whose energy and charm adds huge value to the show.
The exceptional chorus of dancers; choir and large groups of Hebrews and Egyptians; support a slew of stand-out leads. Alex van Schalkwyk, an alumnus of YPP, is the strong voiced, earnest Moses who convincingly displays both his vulnerability and his determination with heartfelt honesty. Matthew Brown’s Ramses is regal and proud. He plays the young insecure Pharoah with great subtlety. Their close emotional but complex bond is played with tenderness and conviction throughout. They are well-supported by Dad, (James Armstrong) who displays dignity, gravitas and humanity to his role as Pharoah Seti.
Although on the surface, it appears that the story is about the two brothers, it is perhaps the feisty, favoured, faithful women whose role to support (or oppose) them which makes Prince of Egypt so extraordinary.
Starting with baby Moses’s brave mother, Jochaved (played with powerful quiet confidence by Camryn Linderboom); and equally brave adopted mother, Queen Tuya (played with great maturity by Joslyn Walters with sparkly headdress and crimson gown). Moses’s faithful and visionary sister Miriam (child Miriam played by sweet voiced Abigael Peters who alternates with Azania Mavimbela, and older Miriam played with heartbreaking raw passion by Isabella Nadauld who alternates the role with Kaitlyn Rex); and spirited wife, Tzipporah, who epitomised girl-power strength (played with guts and fun by Ntsako Mngoma) who is a good foil to Ramses’s bride, the haughty, duty-bound Nefertari (a very elegant Ezekhethelo Zulu). The young Midian daughters who saved and trusted an exhausted Moses in the desert – Keturah (a gracious Ava Govender) and little sister Leah (a delightful Mackenzie Judge.)
The villain of the piece is High Priestess, Anele Mtshali in a standout performance. With her duck like waddle, pointy shoes and deliciously rarified accent, she is the perfect Disney-type villain – simultaneously outspokenly evil, while being laugh-out-loud funny. Her hench-gal priestesses, Lilihle Mtshali and Wren Blore enjoy echoing and imitating their boss.
The always dependable Daniel Mayiza made a charming Jethro, resplendent in his flowing peach robes – the delightful, gentle giant high priest of Midian and father to Tzipporah and her sisters.
Another familiar face to YPP audiences is that of Aaron, Moses’s blood brother played by Noah Bassa. His younger self is Mveli Msomi (who alternates the role with his brother Moya Msomi).
The action takes place in front of an enormous LED screen onto which images and scenes are projected, lending a film-like, high-tech quality to the production.
The score is catchy, with some familiar numbers - Deliver Us, All I Ever Wanted, Through Heaven's Eyes, The Plagues, and the Academy Award-winning anthem, When You Believe popularised by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
(Dramatic lighting
by Evan le Roux with an enormous LED screen as backdrop helps to create an epic
masterful telling of the “Prince of Egypt”.)
As always, the hardworking production team have excelled themselves -
music direction and production management by Des Govender; sound design by Ant
Govender; set and prop design by Nicolene Steyn and lighting design by Evan le
Roux, supported by youthful assistants: Jenna van Eyssen (assistant director);
Khethukuthula Ngcobo (assistant choreographer) and Damien Butt (assistant MD).
Kathy Singery has created incredible costumes and has chosen an interesting colour pallet – muted desert hues of the chorus, contrasting with magnificent Bedouin jewel colours of the Midians; soft whites of the dancers and stark royal blues and bright whites of the Egyptians.
Working with 140 youngsters is no small task, enabling their abundant talent to develop and shine is a true gift. Hats off to Des Govender and her dedicated team for providing such an incredible opportunity.
Every young performer on stage gave 100% all of the time, infusing the audience with magnificent energy. It’s more than a musical, it’s a tonic; an elixir of hope, a beacon of faith and a reminder that what seems impossible can indeed be possible.
After all, there can be miracles when you believe… Review by Charlotte Fairfax
Playhouse Opera from July 10 to 19. Tickets through Webtickets.
Tues 14 – 14h30
Wed 15 – 14h30
Thurs 16 – 14h30
Fri 17 – 18h30
Sat 18 – 11h00 and 14h30
Sun 19 – 14h30 / final
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