The hour-long piece consists of three tonal, short stories that are told through narration, dance and chamber orchestra music, and are inspired by the Zulu tradition of exchanging love beads. Like the secret messages encoded in the love beads, the three stories have secret messages that speak beyond the particular and enter the realm of myth. Seemingly simple stories are given a depth and power through dance and physical theatre, and by the wonderfully evocative music that is beautifully performed and sung.
The three cast members are Apollo Ntshoko, Chuma Sopotela, and Andile Vellem. Chuma Sopotela is particularly expressive and powerful, using her whole body and powerful voice to evoke her three roles. Andile Vellem is a fantastically energetic and agile dancer, which is all the more remarkable considering that he is deaf. The show ends with Andile conducting the musicians - a lovely contradiction. Apollo Ntshoko provides a solid narrative base for the action, bringing to life the initial jerky musical box movements and coaxing them into a fluid and fluent story.
The music is especially beautiful and intriguing, and I loved the way in which traditional chamber music was given Zulu harmonies and patterns. Thandi Ntuli on piano was commanding and expressive, and provided a great base for the strings and voices. For me, the music was the most powerful part of the play and I felt that the script was a bit thin in comparison. The dance, too, was so energetic that it overshadowed and contradicted the simplicity of the script. I'm not sure if this is a problem or not. I do know that the memory of the show has stayed with me, and it feels good!
