Woza Albert! (Come here, Albert!) was first performed in 1983 and it was a sharp criticism of the Apartheid system. It is an unapologetic protest play that feels a bit like a museum piece because it protested against a world that no longer exists. The question now is whether it can stand on its intrinsic artistic merit and the answer to that question is yes.
The play imagines the second coming of Christ – here called Morena – in Apartheid South Africa. There are several vignettes of ordinary people speculating on what his arrival might mean and imagining their reactions if they were to meet him. Mncedisi Baldwin Shabangu and Peter Mashigo perform all the roles, taking us to a meat vendor's stall, a barbershop, a brick yard, and many other places. When the government forces become aware that Morena is causing them trouble they label him a terrorist, but their prisons are useless against the Son of God.
Shabangu and Mashigo do not only act, but also mime, sing, dance, and make all the sound effects using only very few props and a great deal of imagination. It is a pleasure to watch these all-round performers whose physicality and facial expressions mean that the audience can follow the action even when they are not speaking English. One particularly funny device is the fact that they wear round pink noses whenever they are playing white characters.
As an issue play, the text mentions many of the problems experienced under the Apartheid: pass laws, nominally autonomous homelands, poor education, separated families, and white economic dominance. It is a lot of information, but it is presented in such a way that it is easy to relate to; at times it is also very funny so, even though the play is a handy history lesson, it does not feel like a lecture.
Perhaps that is the future of Woza Albert! If it was a run-of-the-mill protest play it would have faded into obscurity in the late nineties. As this production has shown, it is entertaining whilst also a suitable memorial to a painful time in a nation's history.
This production is true to the play's origins and features two fantastic performances under the direction of Prince Lamla. Don't miss it.
