The much awaited show MADIBA THE MUSICAL has opened at the State Theatre after playing a season at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne.
Here In Australia is the first time that the show has been performed in English. It previously played in France in a french language version which had some success. This was more a concert version of the show and the director and his team have revamped the show to make it into a full length musical.
The show charts Nelson Mandela’s journey from being a young lawyer dealing with the general public dropping in at any time wanting his help to his 27 and a half years as a prisoner of the State to his release from jail to finally his inauguration as President of South Africa in 1994. The show is called Madiba The Musical because Madiba was Nelson Mandela’s clan name by which he was commonly known.
The way that the musical has been put together is Mandela’s story is woven around the tales of common folk living under the apartheid regime. We meet coloured people desperate to break free from the oppression, and we also meet whites determined to keep the oppression going on. The show references some of the famous riots, protests and trouble spots which featured in the fight for freedom.
One of Mandela’s constant refrains during the play is that he was born free and grew up as a child free but then he soon realised how unfair things were. Freedom and equality as basic rights were integral to his, and his followers, beliefs.
The show features an inter-racial romance between Helena, the daughter of a white policeman and a young black guy, William. In one of the play’s strongest scenes local whites see the couple being affectionate to each other and yell about abuse and racial slurs at them. Helena ends up leaving her family and travelling overseas because she can’t handle the narrow mindedness of the local community, let alone her father’s negative attitude.
There is an interesting use of rap artist as narrator guiding us through many of the changes, each in chronological order, which take place during the play.
The show runs for two sixty minute halves with the time going quickly. We reach interval with a big power ballad ‘In the Sunlight’ set outside the Robben Island prison where Mandela is imprisoned.
The performances were good. Perci Moeketsi had Mandela’s voice down to a tee as well as conveying his dignity and charisma. Perci was the only international cast member, all the other actors have been cast from within Australia. Ruva Ngwenya impressed with her big, strong voice as his wife Winnie.
Tim Omaji, also known as Timomatic, impressively played the role of Sam Onatou, a young black activist who is arrested and sent to the same jail in which Mandela resides. The two strike up a friendship with Mandela being like a mentor to him. Sam leaves jail a different, more enlightened, patient man as a result.
Tarisai Vushe showcased a big strong voice and personality playing Sam’s fierce, assertive fiancee Sandy.
Blake Erickson gave a strong, very convincing performance as hard man, racist white police officer, Peter van Leden. It was heart warming to see that even his hard ‘shell’ and intransigence could be broken down as in the ballad ‘Its Time Now To Forgive’, sung jointly by Peter, Will and Helena.
Madeline Perrone delivered an appealing performance as the feisty, romantic Helena and was in good voice. Barry Conrad played Helena’s love interest, William Xulu.
David Denis was excellent as the rap artist/narrator.
A very talented Ensemble cast leant good support to the main cast.
The show’s music can best be described as big hearted songs. There was a lot of dancing, wonderful, high energy, vital dancing which was a major highlight of the show. Towards the end some of the cast even came out into the audience and danced in the aisles- a lovely touch.
It was good to see this production and get to know more about this important part of South Africa’s history. Things aren’t perfect in South Africa, the rainbow nation, now but at least they are better then in the dark days of apartheid due to a large degree to Mandela who described himself not as a prophet, but as a servant of the people.
The production of this musical this year marks 25 years since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa and as well this year Mandela would have turned 100.
The music and lyrics are by Jean-Pierre Hadida with book by Jean-Pierre Hadida and Alicia Sebrien. The English co-adaptors were Dylan Hadida and Dennis Watkins. The production has been co-directed by Pierre-Yves Duchesne and Dennis Watkins with musical direction by Michael Tyack and choreography by Johan Nus.
Recommended, MADIBA THE MUSICAL is playing the State Theatre until 18 November.
For me Ruva Ngwenya as Winnie and David Denis rap artist/narrator were stand outs. Second half choreography and energy levels were good.