KING GEORGE. Written by Brent Palmer. With Brent Palmer and Clyde Berning. Directed by Adrian Collins. Baxter Masambe Theatre.
KAREN RUTTER reviews
What a clever, quirky, comical and quick-witted play King George is! An absolute delight, from the script to the casting to the directing to the set. And interestingly, although it is endearingly focused on a part of Cape Town that is very familiar to many of us – Lower Woodstock – it could, with its universal themes of gentrification, corruption and class wars, be set in any big city in the world.
But, in this case it is Cape Town, specifically Woodstock, specifically an area below Victoria Road, that is the source of the conflict that drives King George. Property developer Shane Wyntock (Clyde Berning) has earmarked the site for his company’s latest larney build. In the process he has served George Megalos (Brent Palmer), a strip club owner, with an eviction notice. Things come to a head when George decides to confront Shane one evening in the latter’s smart office. What ensues is a fascinating back-and-forth push for power as each party tries to assert the dominant hand. What’s fascinating is that while most people tend to side with the underdog, in this case it’s not all that straightforward where one’s sympathies should lie. Both characters have their slimy sides, making the dispute all that more complex.
The downward-dog-posing, Tibetan-bell ringing, Zoom-meister Shane is as smooth as all feck, an alpha male with the right accent and the proper cliches for conducting business. Enter George, in what looks like an extremely flammable shirt covered by the kind of leather jacket you can always find in the window of a shop on yes, Victoria Road. His accent is definitely not I-went-to-Bishops and his attitude is rough. George is disputing his eviction notice. Shane’s response is infuriatingly patronising. But George has a few extra cards to play. Which are parried by Shane. Back and forth it goes, until the final upper hand is revealed. Game over – and it’s not pretty when this happens.
Immense attention to detail
As a writer, Palmer has captured the essence of these two characters with immense attention to detail. They are so recognisable, both from a local perspective and a more global one – the cheezy businessman, the sleazy operator. But these are not caricatures, by any means. The script imbues them both with authenticity, which is readily picked up by the cast in what are both wonderful performances.
As an actor, Palmer is so many guys I have known in Woodstock – a joster, a fast-talker, unsavoury but appealing in a scaly kind of way. Berning is all oil and snake water, a salesman with a tainted pitch and a disgusting air of privilege. Together they are perfect, rallying off each other in engaging sync, with director Adrian Collins keeping things tight and taut, but also allowing for plenty of dynamics within the fast-paced flow.
King George is actually quite serious. The issues that the play deals with, from unscrupulous urban expansion to gangsterism and corruption, are sadly all too pervasive in this country – and many other places as well. And the toxic masculinity that anchors each man is deeply disturbing.
But – King George is also really funny. And smart. And very well performed. And a good length – just over one hour. I don’t hesitate to recommend this – go, and go quickly, because it’s not a long run. And it’s so worth it.
What: King George
Where and when: Baxter’s Masambe Theatre from 21 November 2 December 2023
Tickets: Webtickets
Pictures: Claude Barnardo
WS
