Thabani H Moyo
DRAMA poetry, visual images, motion videos, dance intertwined and interacting with music to create a unique alchemy is what summarised Miserables by Geraldine Roche Drama. The production is an opera composed of four essential elements, the text (‘libretto’) and the music, the singing and the staging.
The uniqueness of the production is the strength on which Geraldine Roche Drama is built on.
The libretto or the script is the original creation by famous romantic writer Victor Hugo. The Miserables is set in nineteenth century France and intertwines different stories that are bound together by the life of its main character Jean Valjean, a former convict seeking redemption by means of good deeds.
The lead role was done justice to by Michael Makatini. Jean Valjean has just been released after nineteen years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. Nobody will give him a bed or a meal, except for a bishop who puts him up for the night at his home. Valjean repays him by stealing his silver and running off into the night. When the police drag Valjean back, the bishop says the silver was a gift and that Valjean is free to go. This one act of kindness changes Valjean forever.
Both natural and official justice fail the hero of the story, Jean Valjean, proving how cruel law and society can treat honest people. Valjean attempts to live a good and honourable life, but his high moral values do not bring him rewards until the end of his life. For most of the story he is forced to live the life of a criminal, always on the watch for the police. The real criminal, Thénardier, escapes to America with a small fortune. Inspector Javert, well played by Bongani Mpala, represents official justice. He is not interested in anything outside the bare facts of a case and never takes account of human suffering. His kind of justice upholds the harsh social system.
The performance of Miserables was punctuated by audience appreciation through applause. When the curtain finally came down the audience gave the performance a well-deserved standing ovation. Music is the primacy of the performance, intensifying the passions of emotions of the actions and the characters. Natasha Masuku, playing Fantine, exploited the extraordinary suggestive power of music and was able to create atmospheres that staging alone could not have created create.
The operatic singing was very structured and had different types of voices associated with different types of roles. Different voices were clear from the highest pitched to the lowest: soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto for women; and tenor, baritone and bass for men. The voices were characterized according to their power and agility: they were light, lyric and dramatic.
The staging was brilliant, thanks to Khally Sibanda. In this production she stretched herself. The blocking was exceptional. The staging took showed technical progress, using special effects, digital technology and powerful image projections.
There was evidence that the production took in a lot of resources judging from costumes, props and other visual elements used. Credit should also go to the producer Simon Spooner who managed to convince corporates like Printserve, Chematek Lubricants, partners Sally Foundation and
Global Development Group to avail the much needed resources for the production.
In conclusion, the strength of the performance is its uniqueness. It is one performance that theatre lovers and those with good taste for operatic performances must watch.
