| What: Solitude Performer/writer: Kamogelo Mhlantla Where: Theatre Arts, Methodist Church Hall, cnr Milton Road and Wesley Street, Observatory, Cape Town When: May 26 and 27, 2025 and then at National Arts Festival Makhanda Director: Qondiswa James Bookings: https://theatrearts.co.za/show/solitude Creative team: Lighting designer: Linda Mangena Music composer: Zenande Twalo Movement co-ordinator: Roberto Pombo Producer: Spark in the Dark |
Theatre is cheaper than therapy.
I felt so much better after seeing Solitude at Theatre Arts in Cape Town, written and performed by Kamogelo Mhlantla. The piece opened tonight May 26 and is on May 27 – at 7pm – nice and early in these cold winter nights. This is a quickie review – dress warm and go to see this play.
The writing is exceptional. This is Mhlantla’sfirst play. A wonderful fresh voice in theatre. Beautifully directed by Fleur du Cap Theatre Award winning Qondiswa James – coalescing physical theatre with text. Movement direction is by Roberto Pombo.
Yes, it can do with tweaking and perhaps developing some of the narrative in terms of character, but I was utterly entranced. It is funny, warm and insightful. It is stuff that we don’t talk about enough – and confront.
“Come with me. I will not leave you behind”, the protagonist tells us at the start. Ahhh, yes I needed that. The world is in constant motion and we are there trying to make sense of it and the parameters of being alone and loneliness. Let us reflect and hold isolation close, embrace the solitude and take ownership of being alone, not necessarily lonely. It may sound glib the way I put it here but in the hands of this talented creative, director and team, it makes for an uplifting theatrical experience. Solitude will be staged at National Arts Festival on Spark in the Dark’s Spark Hub at NAF Fringe.
✳ Featured image: Kamogelo Mhlantla, writer/performer of Solitude. Pic supplied.
