I attended Diapason and In Transit at Theatre In The Dark at Theatre Arts in Observatory in Cape Town, last night, February 19, 2024.  The run of In Transit is over but Diaspon is on tonight – February 20 and tomorrow, February 21. All of the runs of shows at Theatre in the Dark have been limited and I hope that the pieces will have another life on other platforms. This is  a quickie review – some of my impressions of these interesting productions and a shout-out to the Theatre in the Dark season which runs until this weekend – February 25.

Diaspon and In Transit were not bundled as a double bill but I attended both on the same night so it felt like a double bill. In Transit was at 7pm and Diaspon at 8.30pm. In between we could sit outside at Theatre Arts and gaze at the waxing gibbous moon.

Battery operated lights (the rechargeable units) are used in both plays. It is wonderful to see how the young theatre makers have been creative with lighting which is not dependent on our electricity grid. Both pieces are very cerebral. These young and talented artists are super bright performers – and reference a staggering amount of ideas, sources in their works.

It was wonderful to meet Sibahle Mabaso who is based in Bloemfontein and who brought her play, In Transit, to Cape Town. The performers are Fika Majozini and Katelynne Matthews.  Intriguing piece and wide ranging referencing of being caught in a liminal space and limbo– navigating one reality to another. In Transit is very existential – shades of Waiting for Godot. I loved the reference to Sisyphus – from Greek Mythology. He was bad dude and terrible host. He slayed visitors – to demonstrate his power. As a punishment, he was relegated by the gods to roll a huge boulder up a hill, when it neared the top, it rolled down and he had to do it again. It is a wonderful image and could be taken further in In Transit which features terrific physical performance and striking use of  lighting- perhaps too glaring and in one’s face – blindingly so..

Diaspon is a lot of fun – two individuals mumbling and ranting through lockdown. The level that they cite from lockdown, sadly ping in terms of load shedding and the ridiculous levels that we schedule our live around. Terrific clowning and comedic physical performance by creator/performers Nawaal Adams and Savannah Steyn. The audience sits in the round and the sense of multiple viewpoints is heightened by a curtain, used as a screen for shadow theatre. It works brilliantly and the shadow play/playing is fabulous. Diaspon is from the Greek and is emblematic of stages, distances, degrees, scales between musical notes and other things. Diaspon the play by Nawaal Adams and Savannah Steyn taps into the load shedding levels, the paranoia, isolation and emotions. It is also self-referential and makes reference to load shedding – which is a diaspon in its own right- if we can work out all the stages of frustration. I loved the way the performers move the lighting units around- placing them – switching them on and off- intricately choreographed placing.

I hope that these pieces will be developed further.

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Liminal journeys: Sibahle Mabaso who is based in Bloemfontein brought her play, In Transit, to Cape Town for Theatre in The Dark, Theatre Arts Cape Town – February 2024. The performers are Fika Majozini and Katelynne Matthews.  Pic: Robyn Cohen/TheCapeRobyn, February 19, 2024.

✳ Featured image – Diaspon – featuring creator/performers Nawaal Adams and Savannah Steyn, Theatre in The Dark, Theatre Arts Cape Town. Pic: Robyn Cohen/TheCapeRobyn, February 19, 2024.