Thoughts about Woza Albert

Thoughts on Woza Albert

Woza Albert is an award-winning play written by Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngema and Barney Simon directed Chris John. The play opened at the Playhouse Durban 6^th– 30^thDecember 2018.

The play is well written, it serves the build-up of the play, with punchlines and each character arch follows the through line of the story. It made the audience feel the need of Morena’s arrival.

As you enter the theatre you are greeted with minimal yet multi-purpose stage setting; two wooden square box inside the boxes it has few items used as props and behind it, there is a rail with different clothes hanging.

The two actors Bab’ Ngema and Bab’ Mtwa play roles of various black South Africans - a vendor, barber, servant, manual labourer, soldier - receiving the news that Christ (Morena) has arrived in South Africa where apartheid has foisted, and impoverished black lives. Christ's arrival trigger a crisis, and the government launches a bomb against the Morena.

 In the ruins, great South African leaders in resistance to apartheid such  as Albert Luthuli former president of the African National Congress, are resurrected. This play has crucial connotations events from the bible and structurally it shows influences of waiting for Godot.

Interestingly when the Zulu boy (exceptionally played by Bab’ Ngema) asked Morena (played excellently by Bab’ Mtwa) to raise the struggle warriors, the audience responded warmly. It reflected where we are as a nation we need a different Morena. 

In addition, I also felt that back in 1983 which that’s when the play was performed; this story was their reality and some of pieces of the story has become our reality in 2018.  

I am utterly grateful to have watched this play.  It was an experience to sit in the auditorium, waiting to see the original cast of Woza Albert playing at the Loft. 

It felt like a gift to be part of this monumental moment, witnessing the actors embodying different characters from a little boy to an elderly lady with clear precision and perfect synchrony of voice, body, sound, breath and movement, creating images using few words and action. 

Watching both actors excelling and sharing their talent of storytelling is astonishing and breath taking. I urge every actor in Durban to watch this play. Let’s fill up the seats… of the loft. 

Compu- ticket

6^th-30^thDecember 2018

   

Thoughts about 'ZemQadini'

Thoughts about 'ZemQadini'

by

Philisiwe Twijnstra

Watching last night's show made me realise that casting plays a pivotal role. You need an actor that will carry a story from the beginning to the end.This is what I appreciated with Msimango's work, he casted beautiful strong actors that complimented each other, both different from each other but they work well together like a tea in a pot.

Bhekani Shabalala, proves to be a treasure to keep, when I see him on stage, I always feel I want to join him. Bongani Mbatha does not fall short behind as well, one of the hard working theatre makers I have ever met. I could write so much about the actors'techniques, the actors'skill but watching them is more rewarding, so go witness it for yourself.

The premiering night of ZemQadini last night at SquareSpace Theatre, gave me exciting and satisfactory feelings which I appreciated.

The play is written and directed by Sboniso Msimango ZemQadini is a story that explores teachings of masculine behaviour to young black boys in rural and urban black communities in a post-apartheid context. What it means to be a man in a family and in a community - is one of the important questions that is posed by the story.

One brother is blind the other cousin brother can't walk and he is mute. Somehow they need each to survive, the play opens up with the blind brother doing his laundry, and the other brother lies down in bed not moving not talking. 

The story is a story within a story- the blind brother redundantly tells about the conflict that erupted the war into their families and how both cousins from both rivals became each others' survival kit. 

The set is simple,upstage centre there is a bed and stage left center there is a chair and they use props to help change characters.

The play was good, but it has so many rooms to develop, few things could make the play even heart cuttingly stronger, already the concept of the story is quite interesting if not intriguing.
The script has loopholes, the conflict and structure needs reworking. 
Msimango proves to have a nag to write neat dialogue but sometimes we get thrown in beautiful lines and forgetting the conflict, the structure that would help with the anti-climax.

We need to pay more attention to writing and taking time to re-writing plays, and this means having a culture of mentoring plays. I strongly think the script needs more drafts.

I felt that it was a bit to much to use live musicians, it didn't help the play instead it felt like a second play. My suggestion would be trust the actors, use the actors body let them be the story. We need two of them on stage kuphela! 

I know as theatre makers we get caught up in trying to be fresh but sometimes the piece works well in its simplest form. No gimmicks, No drums just the actor's voice and body. Trust that more.

I urge Durbanites to watch the play, it was refreshing to see actors playing and diving. Durban needs this, the play is 50 minutes long. Well done to everyone involve. 

Tickets R60

31 May - 02 June

Square Space Theatre

18:00

Thoughts about 'how Long'

With this post I am not bashing anyone or intending to disrespect anyone but I am mainly responding and reflecting. Nor what I say or write intends to offend anyone.

There is a huge difference between hopes and expectation. And last night I had high high high expectations and I truly didn't expect anything less because of who Bab Gib was to black theatre makers. He discovered a lot of South African icons.

He nurtured a lot of Icons we celebrate today, icons that are fearless, talented and daredevils. Some of them were in the audience, and most black theatre makers are influenced by his myth. I think most black theatre makers can't go around Gisbon Kente like most Europeans can't go around Stanislavsky, grotovsky and Peter Brook. He was a king of township theatre, a business man. He was a money maker.


I just want to say that the expectations were unbelievably high.

Bab Gibson Kente's work was not only about a beautiful voice, it was about emotion, audience and the social injustices. But there was something else, the actor cocooned the audience's emotion. One of the amazing things I have heard about him was that he knew how to work the actor to work. Body fit. Articulation perfect. Every word mattered. Every syllable had life. Every breathe had its place in an actors'body.

Stage presence always had to go hand in hand with alertness and being present, being in the zone. Eyes should shout, teeth, lips, tongue and the whole flipping mouth should work, the whole body sings.

'How Long' was produced 45 years ago and it was never done again. This was way to long. So you can understand the need and excitement to see this work on stage. It is bound to be emotional.

"How long" is a story that focuses on a dustman, Thwala played by who is battling to find enough money to keep his son Afrika in school, especially since he has successfully passed the JC exam. However, Africa does not have a passbook and this is a serious offence in the eyes of the police.

I won't talk about how weak the script is because this is our archived script there is no rewrite, there is no fixing, this is our history. Take it and Love it as it is.


The play is set in Soweto 1972 written by Gibson Kente directed by Bab Duma Ndlovu.


Bab' Duma Ndlovu is an interesting, pivotal figure in the industry.

The only theatre show by Bab Duma Ndlovu that I have seen is 'The game' Which was an excellent piece of theatre, for what it was. But honestly that was the only theatre piece I know by him, I'm not really familiar with Bab' Duma Ndlovu's theatre work that much. I wish I could.

I salute and respect the opportunity that Bab Duma Ndlovu and the playhouse theatre has given the audience of Durban. For this musical to be revived and celebrated. Indeed this is a great timing for the country. I also personally think it's good for high schools and primary schools to know about Gibson Kente's work. That is why I concur with a lot of friends that have said 'when you do Gibson Kente do it well and really well.'Especially for those who had no idea who Bra Gib was.


So perhaps now you're curious about what I saw last night.


Last night felt like an amateur sketch music play. I don't know what I saw last night, oh wait I might have seen singers just singing, dancers who were competing with each other, it felt like an audition choreography. "Ngifuna bangibone kinder dancing." messy, messy blocking, walking in, stand walk in, let's mime and pretend as if we talking, let's use our hands, lets mime again, oh lets laugh again oh! the cue is coming, let's move to the position of the next dance piece. The scene to scene transitions were to messy like my Afro in the morning and to many- if not trillion black-outs.


Beautiful music was just that beautiful. No emotion, no colour, no rawness just actors on stage using their gimmicks. I know, I will get into trouble because of what I'm saying.


But this is just my two cents thoughts, and my truth---go for yourself and watch it. And experience it for your self. I wonder whether during rehearsals did the director invite actors/dancers/proteges of Bab Gibson Kente that have worked with him to inspire and master-session-class the company about how it was done. Maybe it's because of the first night premier nerves, maybe, maybe not, however I do not think the blocking, the set, the light, the rewriting of the script is nervous as well, or is it?


Baba Gibson Kente 's work does not only entail a beautiful voice I'm really young and I have so much respect for people who have paved and weaved a way for me in this industry to even understand the body on stage.


Baba Gibson Kente is hailed as the father of township theatre. I always wanted to understand that, to see his work live on stage. But what an utter disrespect to people that knew his work, worked with him, studied his work, took his work as breathing and I hope last night would have been a night of excellent but unfortunately it was not. I cannot speak of the director's choices, as an audience, a theatre maker and a human being with feelings, I sat there on the third row, I had good seats by the way, I constantly felt there was no need to try contemporaries.(Is that even a correct word to use?)


I say this because already the audience makes it contemporary enough, the orchestra makes it contemporary enough, the actors were contemporary enough, the stage was contemporary enough, the light were contemporary enough. So please respect the script as it is, and the music as it was and those are just my thoughts.


Lastly, I want to mention two actors astounding performances by Nqopho as Nyakanyaka, and Mama Thembi Jones Mtshali. Nqopho held it together his character was consistent and believable. His timing was on point he engaged with the audience, he allowed and played with the audience. Mama Thembi Jones Mtshali just by walking in she knows the audience, I loved how she supported the young actors and goodness lord almighty she has an amazing uplifting, full of emotion kinder voice having said that, I do wish she could have sang more especially the scene at the bus stop. What a powerful moment! The light there is excellent.


To close off, I am not the director of the show, therefore I have no idea what goes on or went on, but I guess the director had his vision and I was taught to respect that. Believe me I do. But you only know this if you finish reading my reflection post. 

5-27 May 2018
Tickets R100-R150
Opera Theatre The Playhouse

Image Val Adamson