J o e   B l o g

Brilliant and Original Production

Author: James White, 6 September 2006

I went to one of the previews of this production and found it extremely moving and thought-provoking. The story has been adapted so well to contemporary South Africa that it feels like a new South African play, not an adaptation of a novel at all. The world of the play is brilliantly evoked through a stunning set design, sound design and lighting - and the young performers throw themselves completely into the characters and their situations. It's a play for young and old, and will affect each person deeply - no matter what their age or background is. I'm definitely going to go again and will recommend this production to my friends.

Review: Lord of the Flies

Author: Moira de Swardt, 2 October 2006

Several things about this production made me reluctant to see it. The first is that it is an adapation from the novel of William Golding, that well known but horribly depressing novel so beloved by school systems. Hardly uplifting and heartwarming material. The second reason for my reluctance was that this classic tale has been adapted by Craig Higginson for a contemporary South African context. I didn't see how that would work in practice. The third reservation is that the cast was widely advertised as being made up of mostly schoolboys. I felt that it would probably be amateurish and twee as a result.

The programme has some notes about why "Lord of the Flies" is such a valuable piece of literature. It boils down, as our teachers always said, to what it means to our own world, country, people and to our own time. Thus it theoretically becomes a universal and timeless story. It has been more than thirty years since I read the book, yet the horror of the story remains with me. That certainly says something about the power of Golding's creative writing. The play evoked much of the same distaste which the book did, despite the idiom being entirely rewritten into a contemporary South African framework.

It was this South African adaptation, and a further thirty years life experience, of course, which allowed me to view the work with more than simply a depressing story, and to enter into its universality and timelessness.

The adaptation still has problems, not least of which is the ending. In Golding's novel, written shortly after the Second World War, the English had a reputation, at least in the former British Empire, of being tough, disciplined survivors, capable of working to rule creatively and as a team. We, in the early 21st century South Africa have no such illusions about ourselves, and in particular, about our scholars. We know that they are self-seeking and undisciplined and that they have little concept of "common good" or team work. Thus to end with "You are South African?" undoes much of the value of what has gone before. It would have been better to rewrite that completely to reflect the perception and reality of privileged private school (or at least former Model C school)education.

The roles of Ralph and Piggy are played by adult professionals, Diphapang Isaac Mokoena and Tshediso Lawrence Mofali respectively. The officer appearing at the end is Michael Sishange. The rest of the cast are schoolboys. Don't make the mistake that I did, of thinking of these children as amateurs. Far from it. Most of them have experience in other professional productions, including work in television commercials, behind them. All of them potentially have professional drama careers ahead of them. Jack is played by Lindani Dlamini of Mncube High School where he is in Grade 11. Simon is played by Thabang Louw from the National School of the Arts where he is in Grade 9. Roger is played by Simon Kennedy from St John's College and he is in Grade 8. Jarrod and Dylan Watson from Parktown Boys where they are in Grade 9, play the twins, Sam and Eric. Smaller roles are played by Lebogang Mashabela, Marcell Mostert, Neel Jivan and Karabo Mogoete.

Directed by Greg Homann, the sets and costumes are by Sarah Roberts and the lighting is by Stan Knight. I notice from the programme that a vocal coach, Cati Muller, was brought in to assist. There must have been huge problems at the outset because some of the words were still lost to inaudibility of one kind or another. The production, however, mostly worked well, and I was favourably impressed with what I was seeing. At eighty minutes it is a longish one act, but it never dragged. I think Homann did exceptionally well to create a cohesive, integrated and fast paced dramatic narrative with such a young and, because of their youth, relatively inexperienced cast. My congratulations to all concerned.