Represent Review: MoLoRa @ the Market
Sitting in the cosy enclave of the Barney Simon theatre on press night at award-winning writer and director Yael Farber’s play MoLoRa is no mean feat for an amateur. Leaning forward all around you sit wizened thespians cuddled up close to expectant theatre journo’s, whose concentrating faces you recognise from the little photo’s next to their columns. As the lights went down I felt like a bit of a fraud amongst the aficionados, for although I studied Drama and have spent a lot of my life popping in and out of theatres, I ain’t no expert.
The subject is “Yael Farber’s acclaimed adaptation of the Oresteia Trilogy by Aeschylus, set in a contemporary South African context.” It’s a complicated story and somewhat unknown tale – we found it to be a challenging play to review… we’ve been struggling to eloquently word what we felt. But review it we must and review it from the POV of the everyday man and citizen journo we must do too. It’s the only way we know how.
Firstly, let’s talk about the great things about Molora, starting with the the powerful soundscape provided by a group of animated and delightful older Xhosa musicians (gogo’s!). They are as much a part of the story as the lead characters, providing textured and haunting mood changes and at times a poignant, eery, mystical soundtrack through traditional instruments and an incredible split-tone guttural singing style. Watching and listening to them one is easily transported to a deep-rooted Xhosa gathering in the green hills of the Eastern Cape – their music weaving it’s tribal rhythms through the narrative…
Then there’s the set which was minimalist but craftily designed around the story’s needs, with the numerous performers feeling comfortable on a small stage – the clever use of the space and it’s flexibility allowed us the freedom to fill in the gaps with our imagination. Our favourite moment was when the young muscular Oresties swings in slow motion on a handle around the stage, mesmerising… The lighting design was superb, moving from harsh neon glare to deep and intimate warm isolated scenes.
The performance was highly energetic and very physical and loud – the part of the daughter, Electra was a gallant effort by Jabulile Tshabalala, who put enormous concentration and her soul into her demanding role. Sandile Matsheni played the smaller role of Orestes, wearing the emotions of his character artfully.
The part that we were confused by was that played by Dorothy Anne Gould who appeared to be over-acting and over-playing her character in an almost amateur-theatre style. “Look at how cross and mad I look, listen to how deep my angry voice is, watch how I stomp across the stage and see how drunk I look.”
The reason we use the word “confusing” is that we consider Gould to be a doyenne of South African theatre and Farber a highly respected director, so we battled to understand the reason for the over-acting, putting it down to the direction – sure that it must have been done on purpose and pondering why.
We decided that perhaps Gould’s character was directed to embody the more Shakespearian and Greek tragedy acting style – over-the-top, bold, exagerrated and dramatic, however, we felt that the integration of her character into the more soulful African basis of the play was unsuccessful and left her performance a bit dry. Her brash delivery jarred with the more emotive and moving tones of her daughter Electra, left us feeling unmoved and a little bored.
The shock tactics of the abusive scenes worked, I had to look away here and there but the allusion to the TRC through inconsistent microphone interviews at a bare table also felt a little like oil mixing with water, adding to our confusion. Farber has created a multi-layered story unfortunately based on a storyline that did not capture us.
In all, we could sum the play up as a visually and aurally compelling performance, however it lacked a flow and subtlety that may have given it more stick. We left feeling quite unmoved and relieved to have a smoke-break. That said it is opening night so perhaps the characters and masala of genres will settle into a better relationship as they mould together to one strong sum of parts. A big job by Farber and we wish her luck.
Details:
“MoLoRa”
Adapted from the Oresteia Trilogy by Aeschylus
Directed by Yael Farber
This is Yael Farber’s acclaimed adaptation of the Oresteia Trilogy by Aeschylus, set in a contemporary South African context. “Molora” is the seSotho word for “ash”.
Molora weaves together ancient cycles of revenge with recent South African history, portraying the appalling incidents that came to light at the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings in the ’90s. At the hearings, perpetrators of human rights violations faced their victims and, in exchange for possible amnesty, gave detailed accounts of their deeds. Farber sets the action of Molora at what might have been a typical hearing. Clytemnestra, the queen who has murdered her king, Agamemnon, faces her daughter Electra, who witnessed the act as a child and has long plotted revenge with her brother Orestes. Brutal torture methods employed by Clytemnestra to extract information on Orestes’ whereabouts, such as the notorious “wet bag” technique used by the apartheid regime, are re-enacted in the testimony. This dramatic confrontation between victim and perpetrator was re-enacted thousands of times across South Africa during the course of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, while the country held its collective breath and watched events unfold.
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Adapted and directed by: Yael Farber
Assistant Director: Damon Krometis
Lighting Supervisor: Declan Randall
Choreography Assistant: Yana Sakelaris
Executive Producer, Farber Foundry: Thomas Kriegsmann
Production Manager: Catherine Bloch
SA Coordinator: Leigh Colombick
Stage Manager: Motlalepule Makhate
Cast:
Dorothy Ann Gould Klytemnestra
Jabulile Tshabalala Elektra
Sandile Matsheni Orestes
Chorus and Musicians :
Nofenishala Mvotyo
Nomaqobiso Yekani
Nopasile Mvotyo
Nokhaya Mvotyo
Nosomething Ntese
Tandiwe Lungisa
Tsolwana Mpayipheli
Performance Times: Tue – Sat 20h15 and Sun 15h15
Dates: 16 May – 03 June 2007
Venue: The Barney Simon Theatre at the Market www.markettheatre.co.za
