UJ Arts & Culture has been at the forefront of theatre innovation since its inception. The division won the 2020 Naledi Awards for Best Theatre Set Design and Best Lighting/ Animations for their production of Kafka's Metamorphosis. As such, I was incredibly excited to be invited to the opening night of UJ Arts & Culture's latest venture. In association with Madevu Entertainment, the division presents Hlakanyana The Musical from 25 May - 8 June 2022. Directed by the legendary Janice Honeyman and starring a cast of talented emerging performers, this show was set to be extraordinary. The final result left me feeling lukewarm, but I would nevertheless recommend the show to those seeking lighthearted entertainment.
Folklore and fancy footwork
Hlakanyana The Musical has been in development since the start of the pandemic. This being the script's ninth draft, I would have expected a stronger story arch and character development. The musical is based on a traditional Zulu folktale about a cunning trickster named Hlakanyana. I was unfamiliar with the folktale, which the play did well to elaborate. Having read up more about this trickster Hlakanyana after the show, I am unconvinced that the play delved deep enough into his character. The mythical figure is often presented in both animal and human form. I would have loved to have seen this explored more through embodied movement or costume.
This could been easily achieved, as the costumes designed by students of the UJ Arts & Culture division were both practical and had an ethereal quality. The scene in which Hlakanyana steals the leopard's pelt would be the ideal place to flesh out his character using costume and physicality. While the play is in its final iteration, it does seem to require more work. If there is ever a second run of the show, I would love to see it more refined and intentional in its message.
The play relied heavily on stock type characters and stereotype to create a comedic effect. I was disappointed by the use of caricature to depict an LGBT+ aligned character. This overused trope is an easy fallback for eliciting laughs out of an audience and did not feel like a carefully considered choice but rather a slight of hand. There were similar tropes used to portray the chorus of supporting characters. Fatphobic jokes are certainly laugh worthy to some, but I was unimpressed by the lack of imagination displayed in the script.
Stereotype is an excellent mechanism in moral stories such as this, but it can be taken too far. Director Janice Honeyman is a master at using this mechanism, particularly in her annual Panto shows. It was surprising to see this element fall flat in this musical. I would suggest reworking this part of the play to make it more relevant to today's audiences.
The highlight of the show was the choreography and musical elements. The lyricism was functional and evocative, but could be stretched to evoke deeper emotion. I would have liked much stronger conviction from the three central protagonists in their musical performances. The supporting cast delivered far more convincing performances. Main performers are often typecast in musicals for their strong vocal abilities or aesthetic appeal. This seemed to be the case here. As a result, I could not empathize with the protagonists of the story and did not experience the necessary catharsis at the end of the play to feel satisfied. Overall, Hlakanyana The Musical was a nice bit of midweek entertainment, but will not likely leave a lasting impression on me.
For More Information
Find out more information about Hlakanyana The Musical here.
Tickets cost R180 per person. Book yours via the UJ Arts & Culture website.
Details: UJ Kingsway Campus, Corner of Kingsway Ave and University Rd, Auckland Park, Johannesburg | (Tel) 011 559 4674| [email protected]
