Review: PIECES OF ME at the Baxter Haunts and Heals

There's something quite special about being invited into a story that's so deeply personal to the performer. PIECES OF ME is Bo Petersen's family history, and it is her relationship with her father. However, it's also a story that encompasses all of South Africa and our shared past. This balancing act between broad history and personal story is superbly tuned, and it left me feeling emotionally connected to the people around me and my country in a way I was not expecting.

The story of PIECES OF ME is unimaginably complicated, but also quite simple. A man, Petersen's father, married the woman he loved, Petersen's mother - but in order to do so, he had to leave his entire family and the life he grew up in behind. Why? Because he was a coloured man who could pass for white in South Africa, and the woman he loved was white. This secret, which was potentially deadly should it be discovered under Apartheid laws, impacted everything Benny Petersen did from the moment he made that decision. It also meant that a young Bo Petersen didn't truly know the man she called "dad". This is what is truly explored through PIECES OF ME - the desire to understand her father and the world she grew up in.

On stage, Bo Petersen talks directly to the audience, telling us about Apartheid laws and the timeline of how those laws impacted her family. She also spoke openly about her life growing up, wanting to connect with her father but there always being something in the way. Then, the parts that I truly loved in this production, we were also shown how this decision her father made impacted the other people in his life. She plays her father, her grandmother and two of her aunts - all talking about their relationship with Benny. It was so beautifully done and illustrated just how one choice can impact so many people in so many ways. It also highlighted just how revoltingly absurd Apartheid truly was. A random and stupid line in the sand over race, which broke so many families.

The set for PIECES OF ME was simple - a few chairs with costume items on them to help Petersen morph into each character she played. The most striking part was her father's jacket that hung as if suspended in mid-air. The height of the jacket was just above Petersen, making her appear small when she "stood next to her father". That image sits with me still.

An extra special touch for this run at the Baxter is the addition of Christopher Petersen on stage. Christopher is Bo's cousin and a renowned musician. He sits on stage at a keyboard, adding musical interludes to the piece. The interactions between the two are touching. They are close blood relations, but their lives growing up were so different in South Africa. And now they have found each other.

PIECES OF ME is a beautiful production. It's both a big story about South Africa and a small story about one family - and both are worth telling. You can catch PIECES OF ME at the Baxter until 27 July, and tickets are available through Webtickets. There is also one performance happening at The Homecoming Centre on 20 July, with proceeds going to District 6 Museum. Tickets are available to buy at the door or on Quicket.

There are also four Q&A sessions throughout the run:

1. Tuesday 16 July: Jonathan Jansen, Author and Distinguished Professor of Education at Stellenbosch University
2. Thursday 18 July: Nadia Kammies, Author and Occupational Therapist
3. Tuesday 23 July: actress Quanita Adams
4. Thursday 25 July: Laurie Nathan, Professor of Mediation at the University of Notre Dame in the USA

Photo credit: Maggie Gericke

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