Burlesque without blackface

Yesterday evening we attended a typical, comical play in the Swedish campus life. In Swedish the term is ‘spex’, which etymologically is derived from the word ‘spectacle’. It is a kind of burlesque, written, produced and performed by students. Our eldest son were part of the cast and therefore we made sure to get tickets in advance.

The ‘spex’, which was performed the first time in 1870, is, translated into English, called

On Madagascar

The plot is easy to follow. The inhabitants of Madagascar are described as cannibals. They prepare a sacrificial feast. The menu consists of a student from Uppsala, Rapp, and a French botanist, à la Bonneheure. Guttapercha, who is the daughter of Queen Ushiameja however falls in love with the Frenchman. This leads to a triangle drama, since a neighbouring King, Radamuffo, who is the supplier of human flesh, also claims the hand of Guttapercha. In the second part of the drama Rapp and à la Bonneheure are saved from the pot and à la Bonneheure and Guttapercha can become a couple.

The play is performed once every decade. Last time was in 2007. This year there had been some discussions around the facial make-up of the actors. Traditionally they wear 'blackface'. I think they solved the dilemma in a decent way.

The producer added a prologue to the play, where a group of European travelers are seated in a Zeppelin. The Zeppelin crashes on Madagascar and after 30 years of isolation, the group of survivors have developed a cannibalistic cult around a goddess called Rakka. (The features of this goddess are borrowed from the movie 'Cast Away', where Tom Hanks uses a volleyball as a comrade and gives it the name Wilson). Well, the actors wear no extra make up and it works.

One can of course discuss the whole idea of cannibalism. I will leave that for now. I was happy that the production used their creativity in order to avoid the use of 'blackface' make up, which to me is unacceptable.

I get irritated when some bloggers describe this as hypersensitivity from the political correctness lobby. When I read these views I always find a total lack of analysis of power.

My reading of this ‘spex’ is that the director wanted to say that any human being – no matter of origin – can behave in an evil way. But equally there is a possibility that any person, even the person who acts in an evil way, can change, when love is involved. In this play white people are prepared to kill other white people for ritual purposes. This is nothing unknown.

Let me say something about the actors and the orchestra. We were satisfied with their performance. My favorite lead character were Ivar Westin, as Gluffo. But the others were also very good. As for instance our eldest son, who sang in the choir and had a minor role.

The group of travellers in the Zeppelin. Our eldest son is seated next to the priest.

In the middle princess Guttapercha, surrounded by servants. 

The people are dancing a ritual dance. In the front Rapp and à la Bonneheure
are waiting for their fate, to end up in a pot. Queen Ushiameja is on her throne and
Gluffo is running to the left.

Orpheus in Africa

We had seen the advert and even visited the Fugard theatre. But of course it was sold out the hold week. We really wanted to see this musical. The day before yesterday, however, they phoned, as we had left our contact details, and we managed to get hold on two tickets.

We were not disappointed. On the Fugard Theatre website the background is described like this:

Orpheus in Africa tells the little known story of the American impresario Orpheus McAdoo and his African-American Virginia Jubilee Singers, who visited South Africa in the 1890’s. Their tour began in Scotland where Orpheus met Lady Loch - the wife of the British Governor of the Cape - who invited them to Cape Town.  It was here some 125 years ago that the Jubilee Singers became an unlikely overnight sensation.

The musical has many themes but one is of course about blackness. What does it mean to be black or as one of the songs asks:

Who do you see when you look into the mirror?

The musical is written by David Kramer, who is a well-known South African playwright and director. When I understood that he especially writes about the so called Cape Coloured community much in the musical made more sense.

I was, however, disappointed that 95% of the audience were white. South Africa is still a very segregated society. Of course any person is welcome to any theatre in South Africa but it seems that black people have other priorities. A vast majority of the population cannot afford attending a theatre a Thursday evening, that I know but taking into account that South Africa has a growing black middle class it was still surprising. It has to do with social cohesion. People talk with their friends about going together and people don’t have friends across racial lines. (Yes, I know that I am using old concepts now, but I do it because this is the realities.)

What I also know is that Cape Town, which I love, most probably is more separated than Johannesburg. This is sad.

The other evening, however, when we attended a jazz event, the situation was different. That evening the audience was totally mixed.

South Africa still has a long walk ahead to freedom and justice for all.