As with London Road, playwright Nicholas Spagnoletti spins his magic with this charming and endearing portrait of friendship that is turned inside out and upside down. Spagnoletti skilfully plunges his fragile characters into an intimate war zone, where rekindled friendships, newfound understanding and soulful alliances lead to poignant transformation that heals wounds. The colourful characters burst to life with great performances by Nicholas Dallas as an eccentric gay man, and Chi Mhende as an outspoken and successful black woman who are both aliens trapped in familiar comfort zones. When an outsider, an enigmatic and charming physiotherapist (a brilliant performance by Gideon Lombard) enters their lives, the result is dramatic, laced with biting wit and unexpected revelations.
Special Thanks To Guests From Afar is the kind of play you surrender to wholeheartedly; the magical chemistry between the actors, gracefully shaped by director Matthew Wild's tender approach, creates an intimate bond between the on-stage action and the reaction of the audience.
There are moments of laugh-out-loud delight, when the characters explode out of their stifling cocoons and unmask themselves, well contrasted with heartfelt moments of charismatic sincerity and brutal honesty.
A significant importance of Special Thanks To Guests From Afar is its revelation that we can only be true to ourselves if we accept how others see us, and we must equally allow our true selves to honour these views, no matter how shattering and devastating it may be. Friends can easily take each other for granted or become strangers - and a total stranger can become our best friend if we pluck up the courage to express ourselves honestly and allow others the freedom to challenge our expression.
Special Thanks To Guests From Afar is an exceptional play that you can easily snuggle up to and allow its passion and sensibility to challenge your perceptions without clobbering you over the head. If you feel like spending a quiet and comforting evening away from all the hustle and bustle, escape into this charming encounter of the human kind.
Read more about the play at www.writingstudio.co.za/page4561.html
Special Thanks To Guests From Afar is on at the Artscape Arena until 20 April. Booking via Computicket or Artscape Dial-a-Seat on +27 (0)21 421 7695. Special discounts are available for students and pensioners and group bookings.
