ROMEO & JULIET

OVER THE EDGE, SIYAYA (ZIM) & FEELGOOD THEATRE (UK)

SAT 11th May at 7Arts Avondale Harare

reviewed by Annette Eastwood

'What a disappointment to see the British Council ineptly throwing money
and 'Brit expertise' at Africa in the production of Romeo and Juliet that
was staged for one night at 7-Arts prior to its departure for Britain.
Excitement soon turned to dismay as the action unfolded. Did they
arrive at the end of the financial year and then hurriedly have to cast
about for some politically-correct cultural-fusion project with which to
justify soaking up the remaining funds? One could not help posing the
question throughout the show. Most of the performers were clearly ill at
ease except where they were on Zimbabwean ground, where the British
component then came unstuck. Except for the Nurse, who alone was
thoroughly aware of what was needed to bring off this play. Her
performance was a glorious celebration of English clumsiness combined
with naive zeal as she strove to imitate the strange ways of 'other'
cultures.
A chord was struck, and admiring applause accompanied her every move.
She was at home with each aspect of her Englishness, and played her
part with supreme irony, energy and finesse.
Adam Neil is an accomplished Shakesperian actor, and elegant mover.
He too had a clear idea of the cultural fluidity and sophistication
necessary to bring off the dubious concept of this production, and so
was intelligible to the audience. Not so the rest of the cast. Superb
traditional dancing, competent choreography and fabulous choral
interludes failed to paper over the cracks of this ill-thought-out exercise.
Sadly, Over The Edge were deprived of the chance to do what they
do best-- add a note of irreverent iconoclasm and post-modern treatment
to the cliche-ridden Shakespeare of school textbooks. A large portion
of the audience clearly lured by OTE's past successes thus felt
cheated. We came expecting the high-comic potential in the anomolous
assembly of the 3 participating groups to be richly exploited. It was
ignored. The Womancunian was out of her depth here. If we struggled
with the poor diction, despite our acquaintance with local speech, who
knows what reception awaits them overseas? Talent in abundance
there certainly was. Poor direction and the lack of it, crippled
the show.

Annette Eastwood

Return to top