By
Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted 28 March 2018)
Walter
Sitati and Hearts of Art have done it again. Tackling touchy social issues in ‘Repair
my Heart’ (his newest script), he continues to sound alarms about a range of
hot button issues that have yet to be fully resolved.
Staged at
PAWA254 last weekend, ‘Repair my Heart’ contains a sobering set of social
messages that are still raw in the minds of many. For instance, Sitati
addresses the perennial problem of tribalism and its ugliest effects, including
hard core hatred, rape, murder, land-grabbing and heartless greed.
Surprisingly,
there’s also lot of joy, poetry, music and brotherly affection expressed
between friends who come from rival communities. Logan (Boniface Ndonye) and
Sky (Elvis Gatere) are a new generation of Kenyan who are less emotional and
more inclined to live in the present and not dwell on past grievances.
The two
young men share a mutual affinity for music and poetry which comes out in songs
they sing. Fortunately, both lads have lovely voices and they harmonize well.
Their shared affection is almost too effusive, but we won’t wonder why.
What we know
is they’ve both crossed over into tabooed territory by sharing a friendship
that both their moms detest.
Meanwhile, Sitati’s
got several simmering sub-plots running through the play. He’s a master at
interweaving storylines. So while there’s the story of Logan and Sky, there’s
also Sky and his girlfriend Mercy (Azziad Nasenya) who gets involved with
Governor Carl (Allan Sifuna) who’s Logan’s older brother. Carl’s running for
reelection with his main contender being Sky’s sister, Sophie (Tracy Amadi).
Sophie’s the
first one to display a bitter brand of tribal hatred. It’s towards her brother’s
friend Logan whose brother, Carl, sexually abused her when they were first
running for office, and she was about to win. That time she lost but she’s
refused to give up and is running again.
In this
case, rape was definitely used as a weapon of political warfare. Carl’s wicked
mum (Grace Waihuini) had actually been the one recommending her son bring
Sophie down ‘by any means necessary’ or else he’d be humiliated by defeat.
Making the
mum the master-mind of everything from rape and murder to land-grabbing
comparable to Kenya’s post-election violence of 2007-8 was an unfortunately choice
by the writer. Nonetheless, Sitati resolves his play with such a surprising twist
that the same mother is somehow forced to come clean.
In the end, forgiveness,
humanity and friendship win the day. But not until Sky’s mum (Ellsey Adhiambo)
concedes the day of reckoning must come. One must choose either to hate or
forgive. It was tenuous time at play’s end, as one felt the tension and
suspense as the mothers teetered on a tight rope till both agreed forgiveness
had to win the day. There was no other way.
Sitati’s
ending almost didn’t fly but thanks to Ellsey’s incredibly powerful last words,
her conviction held sway.
Meanwhile,
Brookhouse School achieved what would seem to have been an impossible feat last
Tuesday night when they staged three plays by William Shakespeare in less than
two hours.
Students
ranging in age from 10 to 12 years performed adapted versions of ‘Romeo and
Juliet’, ‘Macbeth’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ on a spacious stage that was
simply set. And because of that simplicity, the power of each play relied on students’
skillful acting as well as carefully focused lighting, sound and attractive
costuming.
Michelle
Forsyth is Head of the Primary (Prep) classes at Brookhouse, but she’s also an
avid thespian who oversaw the Shakespeare showcase. She also directed ‘Macbeth’
which starred Daniel Gichuru in the title role and Solange Gathu as his
conniving Lady Macbeth.
Ms Forsyth
was assisted by Carmen McComic and Lynn Herderson in codirecting ‘A Midsummer
Night’s Dream’ in which the sprightly Puck (Arielle Plumbe) was Oberon’s (Eric
Coffie) efficient messenger. Christine Patterson also helped direct the
heart-breaking love story, ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
All three
plays were adapted for school performances, but still they didn’t lose the
impact, drama or comedy of the Bard’s best intentions. Speaking to BD after the
show, Ms Forsyth said she loved the idea of putting on three plays at once as
it allowed more children to get involved. In all, over 80 kids got to be in the
cast.
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