Review: LIFE & TIMES OF MICHAEL K at Baxter Theatre is a haunting story skilfully told

After several setbacks and a postponement due to COVID-19, the South African premiere of JM Coetzee's LIFE & TIMES OF MICHAEL K, adapted for the stage by Lara Foot in collaboration with the Handspring Puppet Company, is finally here. The story is haunting and the incredibly layered approach to telling it on stage is quite mesmerising and intriguing.

I feel like I need to caveat my review by saying that I'm not a huge fan of puppets - it's a me thing and not any reflection on the award-winning work that the Handspring Puppet Company does. This of course made me a little apprehensive about seeing the LIFE & TIMES OF MICHAEL K. That being said, I found that this production had so many layers of storytelling to it that the puppets weren't really a concern to me. Additionally, the way the puppeteers and actors work together to make such lifelike movements completely astounds me.

The story of the LIFE & TIMES OF MICHAEL K follows the titular character from his birth through some of the most trying moments of his life. The story takes place under apartheid South Africa in the 1970s/1980s but with the added element of a fictional civil war bringing heightened tension to the times - not that the era needed heightened tension. Michael K was born with a harelip and his mother sent him to a special institution instead of a regular school before he left to become a gardener. When his mother falls ill, Michael K decides to flee Cape Town with her and travel to her birthplace of Prince Albert. The journey is arduous and takes a hard turn when Michael K's mother passes away, but he keeps on moving and looking for his place in the world.

Lara Foot's adaptation of the novel is slick and compelling. The actors and puppeteers all commit to the story fully, moving from playing narrator to a character and back again so smoothly. Added to this, the audience is immersed in the world through the use of a beautiful soundtrack (Simon Kohler), excellent lighting (Joshua Cutts) and just the right balance of video projection (Yoav Dagan and Kirsti Cumming). This production is a treat for the senses.

I think my favourite part of the whole piece was the moment where Michael K was chasing a goat and the two jumped in water. The entire way this was staged and the added sounds of water made the moment feel so real. It gave me goosebumps.

It really is a masterclass of how theatre can be created in so many ways. The level of detail that went into everything is truly impressive. The set design by Patrick Curtis was brilliant. I loved the L-shaped blocks that were moved around to become what was needed for the actors. The way the actors were able to play with height through the set design was also exciting to watch.

Photo credit: Supplied

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LIFE & TIMES OF MICHAEL K is on at the Baxter Theatre until 25 March. Tickets are R250 each and can be bought via Webtickets.

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