Amajuba

By Robert Iles - 1st Jul 2004

There is a continuing appetite in this country for black South African drama; it is fresh, energetic, involving and powerful. This show is no exception.

Amajuba is a selection of tales of the old, apartheid, South Africa told through the eyes of children. Each black child had a different upbringing, starving in a remote village, living in Soweto, re-located by the government, etc. but each saw and suffered things children should not be asked to bear. Through the small individual tales we are given an insight into the larger picture, statistics and news stories are reduced to the actual pain and suffering of the participants and we are given a window into the suffering and wrong.

But this is not a maudlin, apologetic show, it is one filled with hope. The characters do not apologies for showing us their pain nor do they ask for our pity, they simply tell us how it was, confronting their past in order to be able to accept their present and fight for their future. More than that, this is not just a set of random stories, these are based on the stories of these particular actors, these are the stories of the people you see in front of you and at times there are tears in their eyes as they tell us and ours as we listen.

Conceived and directed by Yael Farber and written in collaboration with the cast this production of storytelling and music is filled with passion. The cast of Tshallo Chokwe, France Conradie, Bongeka Mpongwana, Philip Tindisa and Jabulile Tshabalala work exceptionally hard and it is no surprise to learn that the Mmabana Arts, culture and Sports Federation includes a gym; these are very fit actors who give their all to the performance.

With the exception of two sound effects they provide all the songs, music and sounds required, quite a feat as they rush around, never leaving the stage and using the few props to great effect. Some of the stage images created by this group I shall remember for a long time, particularly the end sequence. This is a very moving show.

At the end there was a standing ovation, deserved, and a chance to meet the cast and director. I left the theatre humming the songs and thinking about how people can use injustice and oppression to find such positive messages. Not bad for a 90 minute night out.