Luvuyo Kakaza Review
Today, unlike the 1980s, township theatre has gone beyond slogans, to the realm of everyday life. Pressing issues, like crime for example, still surface in work that remains topical, making allowance for small works of serious inclination.
Sweet Chocolate, directed by Mufunanji Magalasi and written by Mike Manana, is a triumph. It looks at the widespread crime problem, focusing on an individual crime- syndicate leader, Mam Sweet Chocolate (Susan Mabasa), who wields power and is able to manipulate individuals into underhand schemes.
Mam Sweet Chocolate bails her desperate friend, Ma Switi (Kenny Stad), out of jail, intending to use him in bank robberies. Unaware, a community reverend, Ngithi (Madoda Manana), is simultaneously drawn into the crime syndicate. Mam Sweet Chocolate offers the reverend large donations, her motive being to lure church members into her criminal activities.
So low is the character Mam Sweet Chocolate – after whom the work is named – that she lusts after young boys, and in one scene tries to seduce the reverend’s son, Thulane (Obed Setshabi).
While Sweet Chocolate succeeds in reflecting township life and crime, it fails to raise real debate on the issue. It gives no ultimate solution to the vicious cycle, simply ending with Mam Sweet Chocolate’s arrest.
Mike Manana has, however, rejuvenated township slang and idioms to tell a simple story about a dangerous life.
The highly talented cast of the company Vuka Afrika performs the hour-long work of intense ups and downs. The lively edge of the play is sharpened by its real-life context. When one watches such dramas in non-professional settings one has to be prepared for the unpredictable. Indeed, during the plays opening, at the end of January, at the dilapidated Katlehong Art Centre on the east rand, the lights tripped out during a vital confrontation between Mam Sweet Chocolate and Ngithi.
This did not stop the passionate Mabasa from delivering her lines. She simply improvised, telling the reverend: “You even come to my house to switch off the lights!” There was a wild applause. The cranky theatre door had to be opened for light to filter in – for many, this provided a much- needed breath of fresh air.
Sweet Chocolate remains a convincing drama that reflects our daily lives, made accessible to those in outlying areas by a sponsorship of R40 000 from the National Arts Council.
While plays like this have to survive on funding by local government, the needs of the arts are exemplified by the shoddy state of the decentralised venues in which Sweet Chocolate will play. As playwright Manana puts it: “It is time for our plays to graduate from performing in dingy places to decent township halls.”
As a result of these unfacilitated venues the play, which opened to good houses, is struggling to get bums in seats. Perhaps township theatre needs to go beyond the stage, and start performing out on the streets.
Sweet Chocolate will show at Mbalenhle community hall, in Secunda in Mpumalanga, on February 12 at 6pm. Admission is R5