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