By Margaretta wa gacheru (posted 18 July 2019)
Sheila Munyiva as Sarafina and Fanuel Mulwa (Crocodile) in NPAS's Sarafina
Sarafina the
musical exploded on the Kenya National theatre stage this past Thursday night.
The return of this iconic story of anti-Aparteid struggle came back as a result
of popular demand. The Theatre had to turn away a multitude of theatre-lovers
the first time Nairobi Performing Arts Studio put on the show, making it an
imperative for NPAS’s director Stuart Nash to reassemble his cast and crew.
Stuart Nash in rehearsal for Sarafina (Sheila Munyiva @right)
This time
around however, more than half the cast is new. One need not say ‘improved’
since one must see for him or herself. But having Martin Githinji play
Constable Sabela, the Home-Guard-kind of villain who’s an instrument of
Apartheid oppression against his own African people, is incredible to see. One
has rarely watched such a wicked bad on our local stage. What’s more, Martin
says he loves playing the part of a nasty guy since villains tend to be the
most complex characters in any production.
Martin Githinji (Constable Sabela) threatening Sarafina (Sheila Munviya)
He also says
he loves playing opposite Sheila Munyiva who, this time round, stars as
Sarafina, a role previously played by Brenda Wairimu.
Martin is
not alone in describing Munyiva (who starred in Wanuri Kahiu’s film, Rafiki) as
an energizing force in the production. Fanuel Mulwa who comes back in the same
role of Crocodile in this award-winning production, also has loved working with
this lively lady who is likely to be the show-stealer as Sarafina.
Yet Mkamzee
Mtalele is also a shining star in NPAS’s ninth musical. Playing the role of the
much-adored history teacher, Mistress, whose defiance of the Boer-brand of
Afrikaner education gets her into big trouble with the System, personified by
Ian Barton and his son Chris who both play Afrikaner cops who surveil the
Soweto school and find Mistress to be a militant menace.
Mkamzee Mwatela being tortured by Boer/Afrikaner cop (Ian Barton)
More than
half the cast is new. Most are in their twenties, being students at NPAS for
whom their participation in a live Studio production is mandatory. It’s a
rigorous commitment since Nash is a professional performer, having been on West
End stages (UK’s equivalent to Broadway in New York) from the age of nine. He
not only directs the whole show, but produces it and assembles the cast, crew
and band which are performing all the magnificent music live for the next few
weekends.
For those
who don’t know or remember much about the heinous Apartheid regime or the racist,
white supremacist system that prevailed in South Africa for many years, it’s
important to recall that Soweto youth like those in the play, originally
written by Mbongoni Ngema, are the ones whose courageous confrontation with the
System’s racist bigotry effectively launched the mass movement that ultimately
led to the freeing of Nelson Mandela after 27 years locked up on Robbin Island
and to the Independence of South Africa.
Sarafina was
actually staged twice before, once in 2018 and previously in 2003 when Mkamzee
played to title role of the girl whose passionate prayer for the liberation of
Mandela fueled first the play, then the musical and finally the film.
Stuart Nash
combined elements of all three to create an original production that will
surprise those who have watched the film, which starred the African American
actor Whoopi Goldberg.
Sarafina also being tortured by the Black apartheid interrogators
Come to the
Theatre prepared for an electrifying experience as this cast has imbibed the
spirit of liberation struggle set to music and marvelous dance, choreographed
by Alexus Mwangi. Come prepared for a first-class production, even if you saw
Sarafina in 2003 or 2018. It’s a show for the now!
No comments:
Post a Comment