Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Friday 3rd October 2014
The State Theatre Company of South Australia is presenting
The Suit, based on the five page short story of the same title by Daniel Canodoce "Can" Themba (1924-1968), adapted as a play by Mothobi Mutloatse, and
Barney Simon, with direction, adaptation, and music for this version by
Peter Brook, Marie-Hélène Estienne, and Franck Krawczyk. This novel was banned, along with all works by black writers, during the apartheid era in South Africa. It is set in Sophiatown, a black cultural centre and suburb of Johannesburg, which was destroyed by the government in 1955, when the inhabitants were moved to Soweto under the Natives Resettlement Act of 1954. It is against this background of apartheid and change that this story is set.
Philemon is a lawyer's clerk and he is very much in love with his devoted wife, Matilda, slipping quietly out of bed so as not to wake her until he brings her breakfast before he leaves for work. Matilda, left alone all day, is a bored housewife and wishes for more. On the bus a friend tells him that she has been having an affair for months, her lover calling after Philemon has gone to work. He returns home and catches the pair in bed, the lover escaping via the window, leaving behind his suit.
Philemon devises a cruel punishment for Matilda, forcing her to treat the suit as an honoured guest, feeding it, taking it to bed with them, and even having it join them for a walk, a constant reminder of her lover and her infidelity. She joins a local cultural club to improver herself and be a better wife, trying to make up for her affair, but Philemon cannot overcome his feeling and humiliates her at a party by asking her to dance with the suit. It is the last straw for her.
There are other aspects to the play, such as Philemon going to church, being rejected by one, and being made to sit alone in a room overlooking the congregation in another, a reminder of the segregation of apartheid, and the imminent destruction of Sophiatown is referred to near the end.
Renowned director,
Peter Brook, has stripped the production of all unnecessary accoutrements in order to focus entirely on the story, as told through the performances, incorporating music to complement the moods at various times during the production. This results in a fine clarity throughout.
Matilda is played by Nonhlanhla Kheswa, and Philemon by William Nadylam, with
Ery Nzaramba playing her lover, as well as Philemon's friend. Music has been added to the production, and trumpeter, Mark Kavuma, also plays a few roles. Pianist, Danny Wallington, and guitarist/accordionist, Arthur Astier, both also act in the ensemble.
Nadylam presents us with a Philemon who likes his world ordered and consistent, a control freak, who overreacts and then cannot pull back from his decision regain order by controlling Matilda. Nadylam allows us to see the inner struggle as Philemon realises that his actions are not restoring the previous order to his life, and that his relationship with Matilda. When alone, or talking to his friend, Nadylam shows the emotional upset and internal conflicts that Philemon if facing, and trying to reconcile, until he realises, too late, that he must change.
Kheswa shows us that Matilda's affair is a direct result of Philemon's need for order, which to her means boredom and a never ending dreary routine. When exposed, she is repentant, and tries hard to live up to Philemon's expectations, but finds that nothing she does seems to be appreciated, nor appeases his insistence on following his ridiculous instructions. Kheswa lets us see the highs when Matilda thinks that she is succeeding, and the lows when Philemon suddenly invokes the suit again. Kheswa portrays this rollercoaster of emotions beautifully, right through to the logical conclusion, when it seems that this will be the rest of her life.
Nzaramba gives a nicely sympathetic performance as Philemon's friend, aware of the folly of the scheme, and realising when it has gone on for too long and become a habit, another routine for Philemon to cling to. He points this out to Philemon and finally convinces him to drop his vendetta, but it is too late.
The three present superb performances and also exhibit a strong rapport between them, convincing in their roles and relationships. The musicians also add greatly to the overall performance, as minor characters, as well as through their music.
Most of the songs are sung by Kheswa, who has a wonderful voice, including a particularly moving rendition of the Swahili song,
Malaika. The one notable exception is when Nzaramba sings
Billie Holiday's heartbreaking song,
Strange Fruit, which tells of the murder of free black people in the South of the United States at the hands of white people who were opposed to the abolition of slavery.
A dozen assorted coloured wooden chairs and a few mobile clothes racks are transformed in to beds, doors, windows and anything else needed, with lighting by
Philippe Vialatte defining times and locations, and Oria Puppo's costumes helping to establish the socioeconomic levels of the characters, as well as the era, the 1950s.
Some of the music was composed especially by Franck Krawczyk, while others ranged from opening with the melody from a Schubert Leider to closing with the music of Bach, and included a good selection of songs from the great blues singer,
Billie Holiday, reflecting the popularity of jazz and blues in Sophiatown.
This is a rare chance to see the work of
Peter Brook and, as he is now 90 years of age, it might be your only chance, so don't miss this excellent performance.
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