This is not to say that the Isango Portobello Company is not full of talent. The cast of nearly 30 men and women are wonderful singers, actors and dancers. The start of the play was fantastically full of promise as the women all dressed identically in black dresses, pearls, blonde bob wigs, white faces and red lips, did a slickly choreographed number, bringing their sticks down smartly in exact timing and singing powerfully. Towards the end of their opening number, the song (We're in the money) is taken up by the workers, who are shown in silhouette behind a red curtain at the back of the stage. The male voices are rich and lovely, and complete the introduction as they spill noisily onto the stage as the workers for a painting job.
From then on things started getting a bit monotonous. The workers talk and then break into song. Solly, played by Mhlekazi Andy Mosiea, would explain to the workers about capitalism and socialism, and they would all act stupid or scared and then sing. It was all a bit laboured and dated. Even the number just before interval, which was meant to be a naughty number about how whities were awed by the size of black men's, er, feet, was just a bit too heavy and long to be funny. Just in case you missed it, the men went off with their fingers sticking out through their flies - get it?
I did not see the previous productions of Isango Portobello (Aesop's Fables, Magic Flute - Impempe Yomlingo and Christmas Carol - Ikrismas Kherol), which won many awards, so I was really looking forward to seeing what the rave reviews had been about. I could understand why the cast would receive such reviews. I could understand why the musical direction and choreography would get rave reviews, but, for me, the choice and direction of script were where the monotony lay. Stephen Lowe's script was transformed to become a musical, set in the early years of apartheid. No doubt we need reminding of our history, but surely this could have been done in a way that felt less like a worthy lecture and more like the vibrant entertainment that was potentially there.
Maybe the second hour of the play was a lot more lively and fast-paced than the first, and maybe I should have stayed to see. But surely the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists would have been kinder to their audiences if the play were much shorter, tighter and lighter. As it was, I was pleased to be in bed at a reasonable hour!
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists run at the Fugard Theatre till the 20 November 2010.
Tickets can be booked at the Fugard Theatre or by calling the Fugard Theatre box office on 021 461 4554 or online at www.thefugard.com.
