THE MYSTERIES. Queen's Theatre to 18 Mayl.
London
THE MYSTERIES
conceived and created by Mark Dornford-May and Charles Hazlewood
Queen's Theatre Run extended to 18 May 2002
Mon-Sat 7.30 Mat Wed & Sat 3.00
Runs 2hr 25min One interval
TICKETS 0870 890 1110
Review Timothy Ramsden 27 February
Visual splendour and aural glory combine with theological insight in a tremendous inter-cultural creation.Two musicals opening within 24 hours and a couple of minutes' walk of each other. Yet they could hardly be further apart. My One and Only is pure commercial Broadway/West End entertainment, while these Mysteries come from the subsidised – or highly sponsored – theatre and a remote provincial township - medieval Chester where they started out around the 1370s.
Of course they anglicised their dawn of creation to day of judgement bible story in the process. Here it's given a due international dimension. Yimimangaliso as the plays are called, mixes English with South African languages without hindering understanding. There's a stark grandeur to the skeletal staging. It ought to look very out of place in a plush West End Theatre, but it feels right at home – a guest that transforms that home joyously for the duration of their stay.
As with all modern productions the long sermonising is cut (the Chester Mysteries complete would go on most of a day) to focus on action and the best known plans of God and ways of man. These play fluently, with striking visual and aural impact – feel the nails shudder into Jesus' limbs to metallic beats and intense flashes of the white light in Mannie Manim's design.
And the choral song is magnificent, from great washes of glory to laments and microtonal cries of pain. But that's not all. Director Mark Dornford-May knows his Chester Mysteries. Time and again the theatricality expresses the script's concerns. For example, after the interval Vumile Nomanyama's authoritative God seems to be learning dance steps from Pauline Malefanbe's glorious-voiced working woman Mary. As he does so, off comes his African garb and he changes to denim wear. God's become man, and a boy learning tradition from his mother. It's a superbly economical, non-didactic expression of Jesus' dual divine and human nature.
This dance passes from Jesus to his disciples; after the crucifixion they try it out, as a kind of comfort exercise, or a step to life apparently without their leader. It's such understanding, along with the performance bravura, that makes this such a magnificent show.
Gabriel/John: Siyabulela Bede
Japhet's Wife/Mary/Cleophas: lungelwa Blou
Shem's wife/Woman/Merchant: Noluthando Boqwana
Abel/King/Andrew: Bongani Bubu
Isaac/Martha: Helen Burger
Angel/Midwife/Bartholomew: Bulelwa Cosa
Eve/Merchant: Portia Dladla
Woman/Thaddius: Camilla Driver
Angel/Lazarus: Lusindiso Dubula
Elizabeth/Angel: Pauline du Plessis
Soldier: Zukile Gquadushe
Cain/Pilate: Herman Hardick
Adam/Simon the Leper: Kurt Haupt
Abraham/Judas: Steven Hicks
Soldier/Shepherd: Thembela James
Herod/Peter: Sandile Kamle
Midwife/Merchant: Andiswa Kedama
Midwife/Disciple/James the Younger: Fikile Khuzwayo
King/Merchant: Andile Kosi
Angel/Simon: Njabulo Madlala
Midwife/Merchant: Nandie Mahlangu
The Virgin Mary: Pauline Malefane
Shepherd/Lebbaeus: Ayasnda Mamve
Angel/Ham's Wife: Isabel Martens
Lucifer: Andries Mbali
Angel/Woman/Merchant: Gracious Mbatha
Angel/Soldier: Bongani Mbato
Midwife: Zintle Mgole
Shem/Soldier: Mvuyisi Zukolufikile Mjali
Angel/Ham/James: Sibulele Mjali
Angel: Dipuo Virginia Mogoregi
Noah's Wife/Mary Magdalene/Woman: Ruby Mthethwa
Japhet/Caiphas: Gwebile Jim Ngxabaze
Deus/Jesus: Vumile Nomanyama
Woman: Mpontseng Nyatsa
Angel/Matthew: Zoliswa Qumza
Angel/Soldier: Zorro Sidloyi
Joseph/Thomas: Andre Strijdom
King/Soldier: Andile Tshoni
Noah/Annas Sibusiso "Otto" Ziqubu
Director: Mark Dornford-May
Designers: Mark Dornford-May, Dan Watkins
Lighting: Mannie Manim
Costumes: Leigh Bishop
Music Director: Charles Hazlewood
Choreographer: Joel Mthethway
2002-03-04 13:13:33