Sunday, 27 April 2014
BLACKOUT: Review of HAVE WE BEEN HEARD?
BLACKOUT: Review of HAVE WE BEEN HEARD?: Review of Have we been heard? Lethulwazi Zinosa Productions presents Have we been heard? written and directed by the veteran actor Bhe...
Review of HAVE WE BEEN HEARD?
Review of Have we been heard?
Lethulwazi Zinosa Productions presents Have we been heard? written and directed by the veteran actor Bheki Mkhwane. Have we been heard? is the show awaited patiently by Durban audience, it is the highlight of this weekend. I myself was interestingly beholding my enthusiasm and curiosity. Its been a while since i witness such excitement amongst ordinary people,theater lovers and artist even politicians.
The play traces back the political ideas and conflicts that ruled the lives of communities in the township in the 1980s.The set is made up shacks and a town hall used as a church, the setting sets you back to a township lifestyle, the stage opens up with a dance piece, leading to young school girls playing in their school uniform, the tone of this scene is playful and light prepares you for a disastrous outcome. We are introduced to a drunkard guy played enormously by Hamilton Dlamini he ends up dead early in the scene this emphasizes the cruelty of the struggle in apartheid regime of that time.
Have we been heard? had only one night performance in ICC ARENA, the cast is made up of well known faces in the industry (Thembi Mtshali-Jones, Hamilton Dlamini, Bhekani Shabalala,Fikile Mlomo and Celeste Ntuli.) The show is accompanied by a live band with musicians like Lu Dlamini,Khanyo Maphumulo and thirty-five beautiful synchronized dancers who profuse unabated detail and energetic dance choreography .
Although it was Wiseman Mncube who played Lunga a notorious influential comrade leader and Musawenkosi Ntuli who played Zwelihle a heartfelt, peace driven comrade leader they complimented each other and both oozed brilliance and delivered a breath taking performance they relived and took me to a journey of apoplectic and enigma. Bhekani Shabalala's mannerism on stage is on point, his comic timing salutes the talent he has, it was such a release of laughter and joy to watch him.
Having said that the pitfall of this show was the choice of vanue, ICC is not acoustically designed for a theater piece therefore it did not enhance the greatness of the show. The sound was not audible when dialogue was delivered only when they sang it was loud even to loud.
Hence overall i personally enjoyed it, i sang along and was mesmerized by Durban talent, i hope to see Have we been heard? tour and share our story all around the country.
Review by Philisiwe Twijnstra
Lethulwazi Zinosa Productions presents Have we been heard? written and directed by the veteran actor Bheki Mkhwane. Have we been heard? is the show awaited patiently by Durban audience, it is the highlight of this weekend. I myself was interestingly beholding my enthusiasm and curiosity. Its been a while since i witness such excitement amongst ordinary people,theater lovers and artist even politicians.
The play traces back the political ideas and conflicts that ruled the lives of communities in the township in the 1980s.The set is made up shacks and a town hall used as a church, the setting sets you back to a township lifestyle, the stage opens up with a dance piece, leading to young school girls playing in their school uniform, the tone of this scene is playful and light prepares you for a disastrous outcome. We are introduced to a drunkard guy played enormously by Hamilton Dlamini he ends up dead early in the scene this emphasizes the cruelty of the struggle in apartheid regime of that time.
Have we been heard? had only one night performance in ICC ARENA, the cast is made up of well known faces in the industry (Thembi Mtshali-Jones, Hamilton Dlamini, Bhekani Shabalala,Fikile Mlomo and Celeste Ntuli.) The show is accompanied by a live band with musicians like Lu Dlamini,Khanyo Maphumulo and thirty-five beautiful synchronized dancers who profuse unabated detail and energetic dance choreography .
Although it was Wiseman Mncube who played Lunga a notorious influential comrade leader and Musawenkosi Ntuli who played Zwelihle a heartfelt, peace driven comrade leader they complimented each other and both oozed brilliance and delivered a breath taking performance they relived and took me to a journey of apoplectic and enigma. Bhekani Shabalala's mannerism on stage is on point, his comic timing salutes the talent he has, it was such a release of laughter and joy to watch him.
Having said that the pitfall of this show was the choice of vanue, ICC is not acoustically designed for a theater piece therefore it did not enhance the greatness of the show. The sound was not audible when dialogue was delivered only when they sang it was loud even to loud.
Hence overall i personally enjoyed it, i sang along and was mesmerized by Durban talent, i hope to see Have we been heard? tour and share our story all around the country.
Review by Philisiwe TwijnstraSunday, 13 April 2014
BLACKOUT: Swallowed.
BLACKOUT: Swallowed.: Review of Swallowed A collaboration between Zimbabwe and South Africa presents a thought provoking workshopped piece directed by Roel ...
Swallowed.
Review of Swallowed
A collaboration between Zimbabwe and South Africa presents a thought provoking workshopped piece directed by Roel Twijnstra and Daniel Maphosa inspired by an idea instigated by Jerry Pooe.Swallowed is a made up of five actors(Bongumusa, Shabalala,Musawenkosi Shabalala,Nhlakanipho Maphulo,Ted Mangawa and Tafadso Hananda.)
Swallowed is a play about greed, power and land ownership. It is looks like its influence by Antonin Artaud's theatre of cruelty yet with lot of humour and light comedy watching this piece makes you shatter in your own primal honesty. It starts off with five actors standing skilfully focused in a focal point to the audience. They are working as miners and the rocks suggest that.
The story unfolds a relationship of two friends which one of them is engulfed by greed and power when he pockets the diamond they found for himself . He becomes swallowed, and forgets his friends. He becomes successful and rich while his friends still struggle. At the end they capture Goso played beautifully by (Musawenkosi Shabalala,) they cut him open because they think he has swallowed the diamond, they take out his insides in a grotesque scene using real cow intestines, kidneys and liver yet still they don't find the diamond.It was (Ted Mawanga) that delivered an engaging performance with slightness of humour.
This piece is still work in progress which its impressive work shows potential and there is room for growth. The actors had only a week to put this together having said that actors could pay more attention to taking time and not rush.Swallowed is suitable for a mature audience. I must say Iam excited for this play.
Review by Philisiwe Twijnstra
from left to right:Tafadso Hananda,Bongumusa Shabalala,Ted Mangawa and Nhlakanipho Maphumulo
A collaboration between Zimbabwe and South Africa presents a thought provoking workshopped piece directed by Roel Twijnstra and Daniel Maphosa inspired by an idea instigated by Jerry Pooe.Swallowed is a made up of five actors(Bongumusa, Shabalala,Musawenkosi Shabalala,Nhlakanipho Maphulo,Ted Mangawa and Tafadso Hananda.)
Swallowed is a play about greed, power and land ownership. It is looks like its influence by Antonin Artaud's theatre of cruelty yet with lot of humour and light comedy watching this piece makes you shatter in your own primal honesty. It starts off with five actors standing skilfully focused in a focal point to the audience. They are working as miners and the rocks suggest that.
The story unfolds a relationship of two friends which one of them is engulfed by greed and power when he pockets the diamond they found for himself . He becomes swallowed, and forgets his friends. He becomes successful and rich while his friends still struggle. At the end they capture Goso played beautifully by (Musawenkosi Shabalala,) they cut him open because they think he has swallowed the diamond, they take out his insides in a grotesque scene using real cow intestines, kidneys and liver yet still they don't find the diamond.It was (Ted Mawanga) that delivered an engaging performance with slightness of humour.
This piece is still work in progress which its impressive work shows potential and there is room for growth. The actors had only a week to put this together having said that actors could pay more attention to taking time and not rush.Swallowed is suitable for a mature audience. I must say Iam excited for this play.
Review by Philisiwe Twijnstra
from left to right:Tafadso Hananda,Bongumusa Shabalala,Ted Mangawa and Nhlakanipho Maphumulo
Photo by Roel Twijnstra
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