Every year, every day, I am walking was commissioned in 2006 by the African Festival for Children in Cameroon. Since then the production has been performed in South Africa with rave reviews at the Grahamstown Arts Festival 2007. It was also one of the highlights in the UK based LIFT Festival and is now touring other African countries.
The play follows the traumatic journey of Angie and her mother, played by Faniswa Yisa and Jennie Reznek respectively, as they struggle to come to grips with the devastation of being forced into refugee status. The physicality of both performers is in itself a lesson in performance technique as they throw themselves into telling this story that is at once familiar and terrifying.
Co-founding member of Magnet Theatre and award-winning director Mark Fleishman creates moments of incredible tenderness and hilarity all rolled into one emotional rollercoaster ride into the world of these two destitute beings. It’s a tale of two souls in constant flux between finding a home and belonging nowhere.
The optimum use of a sparcees set and minimal, but carefully chosen objects, including the striking use of sand and actual fire, created an afternoon of theatre that surpasses anything I have seen in the West End in years. After literally burning down part of the set, the characters then proceeded to sit hopeless and forgotten in the ashes created before our eyes. Equally striking was the use of sand to highlight grief and misfortune, as well as creating footprints on stage, where a moment ago there was none.
Live music accompaniment by Neo Muyanga is superb and creates an immediate, urban and at times greatly disturbing ambience to the action on stage which further enhances the highly emotional plight of the characters.
It is easy to feel compassion for anyone placed in the grievous reality of genocide and displacement suggested in the play. It is much more difficult to create a lasting impression, an imprint on the heart so to speak, which will keep burning long after you leave the theatre. Magnet Theatre has done just that. And in the current state of xenophobic turmoil in South Africa, this production cannot come at a more appropriate time.
Magent theatre is based in Obesrvatory, Cape Town and has been working nationally and internationally for the past 20 years. They are well worth checking out as you may just be lucky enough to catch one of their performances, wherever you are. Check out www.magnettheatre.co.za for more information.
Startford Circus is in itself a fantastic venue with a great programme line-up all year round. For more information please go to www.stratford-circus.com
|
