Cherry On Top’s programme states that 'humour in South Africa has been a great coping mechanism and a brilliant transitional tool for a formerly oppressed nation.' Therefore it is unsurprising, if not unimpressive, to find such concepts as suspicion, infidelity, and untimely death so confidently and successfully coupled with laughter in this South African play.
Written and performed by Leeanda Reddy and Krijay Govender, Cherry On Top is the story of a man's wife and his mistress meeting for the first time over his unconscious body following a heart attack. In its first scene, the story seems to be nothing more than your basic soap opera, with simple characters and a bitter struggle. However, almost instantly Cherry On Top reveals itself as much more complex than that, as each woman is forced to examine themselves and their relationship with their husband or lover through a series of encounters with other people in their lives.
The two women are developed into distinct characters clearly, quickly and humourously due in equal measure to a well written and well performed script. Remarkably, this is done while maintaining a sense of detachment, refraining from influencing the viewer to take sides in the conflict. The play maintains both women as likeable characters deserving of our sympathy for their mutual loss, so it’s not hard to laugh alongside them throughout their interactions with the colourful characters surrounding them.
The laughs are not big, but the show finds the humour in some of the little things in life, including those things surrounding tragedy. Like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae, this play is the perfect garnish to top off a day.
