THE LAST VOYAGE review. Written and directed by Tandi Buchan. Presented by Waterfront Theatre School. At The Galloway Theatre, from 24 to 28 September 2019 at 11am.
SHEILA CHISHOLM reviews
The Waterfront Theatre School students are fortunate to have a theatre as part of the premises where they study the Triple Threats. This luxury has allowed them to become so familiar with what operating in a theatre environment means it has become as natural as breathing.
And it matters not whether they be working front of house, prop/set building, stage managing, hanging lights, crafting lightening designs, or performing, in their talents holds South Arica’s theatrical future.
Seating approximately 50 people, the oblong Galloway Theatre has a small stage at one end and a balcony at the other. Seats can be set out either in formal rows, or against two sidewalls.
A cohesive whole
For The Last Voyage that side-seating arrangement left the stage free on which to build a realistic pirate ship set, spill treasure on the deck from trunks and fly a Jolly Roger.
The space between the audience’s seats allowed a crew of cutthroat buccaneers to leap about brandishing cutlasses dancing a pirates jig.
The area also let Kai (Thinus Viljoen) show off his physical theatre skills chasing Bury (Lizaan Pelser’s) magic red feather as well as giving tall, crinoline clad Pirate Queen Edna (Mika Calitz) all the space needed to gallop around dominating proceedings.
As a pretty good pantomime caricature Calitz’s name would be better suited to that of Dame Edna after comedian Dame Edna Everage rather than Queen (except his/her garb, white Marie-Antoinette wig, heavily rouged cheeked, pursed red lips and antics put him into the “queen” realm).
Tandi Buchan’s story is simple. The Last Voyage refers to Kai’s father, whose love for his son and wife (Emma Lyon) couldn’t match his love for the sea. So leaving them behind he returned to pirate life, never to be seen or heard from again. Kai’s mum tells him how she tried joining her husband, but overcome by continued seasickness she had to live on shore.
Nothing comforts Kai. Feeling abandoned he eventually falls asleep only to dream of his father and those with whom he sailed on The Black Rose.
They are a jolly bunch who move with an understanding how important it is to maintain characterizations throughout a performance.
Each player interacted with the other to form a cohesive whole. So it would be unfair to pick out one actor over another, but mention must be made of Jeani Heyns, Pelser and Deon Bisschoff’s adorable puppets, as well as Calitz, Chante Strydom and Pelser as the three shadow puppets and Pelser’s scarlet feathered, gold beaked Bury… he’s a beauty
Sorry! One gripe. It is not difficult to speak quietly. Neither is it difficult to speak loudly. What is difficult is to achieve vocal crescendos and diminuendos. What that will achieve is adding additional colour to the voice than was heard on this particular morning.
More live theatre in Cape Town.
What: The Last Voyage Waterfront Theatre School
Where: Galloway Theatre Cape Town
When: 24 – 28 September 2019, 11am
Book tickets: 021 418 4600
WS
