Unwitting audience members lounging in the sunshine co-star as villagers alongside established festival performers, Bheki Mkhwane and Ellis Pearson, in this hilarious take on an impending wedding in Sinako village.
These actors convincingly play everything from old men to women and, my personal favourite, a rooster. One particular magic trick involving a chicken and an egg kept the audience in hysterics. But, what makes this show even more lively is the audience participation and the spontaneity of wanna-be stars taking to the stage.
“The story is inspired by news happening in the world,” says Pearson. “It’s about manipulation, bribery, corruption and power struggles.”
Mkhwane and Pearson explore these serious issues in a highly entertaining way as they prepare for King Masaka’s wedding. The preparations go wrong (as they invariably do). Florence, the beautiful bride, is unhappy – “there is big trouble” and villagers’ gifts are inadequate for the king. The performers enthral their village audience, gripped in anticipation as to what will transpire next.
Mkhwane and Pearson have worked together for 15 years, sharing a passion for the same kind of theatre. Bheki Mkhwane has a background in township theatre and Ellis Pearson in the physical theatre taught by L’Ecole Jacques le Coq in Paris.
Pearson and Mkhwane’s plays are always based in villages. “We want to try and get a sense of community, where people relax and share together, a state we wish would happen in the real world,” explains Pearson.
The outside venue is particularly appropriate in creating this atmosphere and “the trees and sunlight act as an excellent backdrop, it allows us to play with the audiences’ imagination,” he grins enthusiastically.
The Hidden is at the lawn behind Drostdy Arch on Monday at 11am, Tuesday at 1pm, Wednesday at 4pm; Thursday at 12 noon, Friday at 1pm, and Saturday at 4pm. – ECN-Cue