First day with the cast. We met at the Masonic Hall, which is to be our rehearsal space for the next two months due to lack of space at Rhodes -a problem the world over? We began with introductions and I got to know a little about Thami, Sisonke, Ilana, Nox, Tshego and Thamba (probably incorrect spelling of these mostly much-abbreviated names). I made a point of repeating the names back to each actor in an effort to learn the correct pronunciation. Nox took great delight in saying her full name followed by a big grin in anticipation of my sorry attempt to repeat it.
The magnificent plan that Dion had concocted to watch two movie versions of Romeo and Juliet as a gentle easing into the project was seeming thwarted by the power blackout that began the night before and was continuing with no approximate time to be rectified. (Andrew explained that after' 94 - the end of apartheid- the towns expanded and number of people using electricity increased, yet rather than building new power stations, the power became more widely distributed. As a result, blackouts became fairly frequent and in some cases deliberate, with public announcements of ordained times. But this one was unexpected). We had heard that power was on at Rhodes so wandered the 10 minutes up to the Drama department, only to discover no power. While we re-thunk, the power flickered on, only to black out again before we had even re-grouped.
Returning to plan A, we walked down the hill again towards Dion's place. The 8 of us huddled in Dion's lounge room around my laptop which was perched on a chair. By Act 2 of the somewhat tedious 70's version, the power finally returned and we shifted our viewing to the large (ex-Rhodes) projection screen. A long couple of hours, even for the most ardent Shakespeare fan. Fortunately, chips, sweets and softdrinks got us through to the end. Little comment from the actors on what they had seen. A bit of giggling at the hammy acting. A silent patient tension and curiosity over which role they are to be cast in. Lunch break in the garden and on to Baz. Lights, volume, pace and colour lifted the energy of the group, and not a break all the way through. Complete engagement. Yet I was the only one crying at the end of the film. Again.
Afterwards a discussion of what was enjoyed and why, leading into a sharing of ideas for our own version. Some ideas we are tossing about:
-that the play (Shakespeare's moral revision of the original Italian story), reveals less to us about young love than it does about the futility of our "ancient grudge"s.
-looking at tribal division, the city/rural divide/ xenophobia from the mass Zimbabwe immigration.
-soldiers in the township, taxi violence, and the tradition of violence without question.
-hip-hop vs pantzula dancing street groups
-traditional vs modernised ideas (children vs parents?) - one of the actors told the story of some people in townships, continuing their tradition of animal slaughtering out the front of their homes, and their neighbours with modern notions of animal cruelty finding this offensive (that's a tough one!)
-using the actors to create scenes, eg the balcony, so it can move, it is alive and responds: looks to the audience in cahoots, shakes head at Romeo, moves him farther away when he tries to kiss Juliet etc.
-elements of technology, to engage the student audiences eg. facebook, twitter, skype.
...perhaps Friar John can't deliver the letter to Romeo because the power is out? Or the network down?
There is a wonderful Anne Frank diary entry that I believe is especially relevant for our locally-flavoured version of the play. I came upon it in the program for the 1993 Queensland Theatre Company production of Romeo and Juliet (the beginning of my serious love affair with Shakespeare):
"Anyone who claims that the older ones have a more difficult time here certainly don't realize to what extent our problems weigh down on us, problems for which we are probably much too young, but which thrust themselves upon us continually, until, after a long time, we think we've found a solution, but the solution doesn't seem to be able to resist the facts which reduce it to nothing again. That's the difficulty in these times: Ideals, dreams, and cherished hopes rise within us, only to meet the horrible truth and be shattered".
Anne Frank was Juliet's age when she wrote this.
After the cast left, Dion and I had a meeting with our designer/stage manager Barati, a tall gorgeous Botswanian woman. Although Dion comes from a design background himself, he was careful to leave ideas and images open to allow Barati's own inspiration. Can't wait to see what she comes up with - she's a stylish woman! (I want to find earrings like hers, and chop off all my hair again...)
Barati gave me a lift home to a delicious vego meal made by Andrew and a couple of glasses of a tasty South African pinotage. I am fast learning that I should blog immediately when I get home when I am bounding with energy and inspired and before the pinotage and exhaustion kicks in.
Hayfever is CRAZY here. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the wine or weimeraners.
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