THEATRE: Julie Barker
`THE struggle never made me famous.” These are words uttered by a gangster at the height of his career. This is Gomorrah!, a powerful new work directed by Pule Hlatshwayo, and conceived by the cast, all graduates of the Market Theatre Laboratory.
Gomorrah! explores the inevitability of violence as a way of life, the tentacles it develops that inadvertently destroy the innocent, as well as touching on its dubious glamour. Set in Alexandra, the story of David and Sipho’s descent into gangsterism draws us gently along with them. However, it is the mechanisms used to reveal the story, that lie at the heart of Gomorrah!’s success as a piece of theatre.
What is essentially a linear story, unfolds as a piece of rounded artistry – in fragments. Through the use of mime, movement and action- packed drama, the piece becomes an interwoven series of visual and emotional images; moments of stark realism counter-balanced with the highly theatrical. A clashing of different languages – English and Tsotsitaal – is used to fine effect here. When the language fails you, the visual images carry you through.
This is an example of fine ensemble work. The performers are all strong and adept. It is a strenuous, fast-paced production, demanding on all the actors’ skills. Mention must be made of Mpho Molepo, who plays the central character, David.
Also Harriet Manamela, who invests her female gangster character with fascinating dualities: who is this woman with a gun who participates in the rituals assumed to be “men only”? Dumisane Phakathi’s detailed characterisations are a joy to watch, as is the rest of the cast.
The piece, because of its straddling of strong theatrical mechanisms and its sense of film, becomes a dense and riveting piece of theatre. At times I did feel that certain scenes needed to be more sharply focused, and that sometimes the direction needed to be tighter.
But Gomorrah! is living proof that South African Theatre is not dead. It is also important that the Market Laboratory is training people with raw talent and enthusiasm to become skilled professionals.
Gomorrah! is on at The Market until May 10