Armchair theatre

Old white liberal theatre about an old white liberal for old white liberals. That’s what Greg Homann’s play A Voice I Cannot Silence, felt like.

Thing is, old white liberals were the voice within the privileged white minority that spoke out against black oppression and occasionally managed to sync in with the black struggle, predominantly through the UDF in the ’80s. Yet today they are mocked and sidelined as irrelevant even though their silence is often a deliberate decision to clear the arena so the voices of those they fought for can take their rightful place.

By seamlessly stitching together Alan Paton’s life – one of South Africa’s most esteemed white liberals – in the period between the death of his wife Dorris in 1968 and his own death in 1988, a Voice I Cannot Silence is a plea to relook at contemporary attitudes to liberalism and acknowledge their political contribution.

On a rich period set designed by Nadya Cohen, the superb Clare Mortimer plays Anne Hopkins, his secretary he later married, with Ralph Lawson playing Paton and Menzi Mkhwane energising the mix as Sponono, a young man who questions Paton’s actions as principal of Diepkloof Reformatory.

Evocative lighting and Homann’s direction deliver a traditionally crafted work redolent with Paton’s lyrical writing. It was much like sitting in a leather Chesterfield in a comfortable book-lined study with a fire crackling away in the grate while a late afternoon drizzle spatters the bay window. Somnambulent.

Part of the problem was lack of range. Lawson’s doze-inducing drone covered even the lively interchanges with Mortimer who, as fantastic an actress as she is, could not seem to pump enough blood into the dialogue to kick this ageing gentleman of a play into life.
It threw a hook now and again, Mortimer’s recitation of Paton’s poetry beckoned a lump to the throat and Mkhwane’s appearance as Paton’s conscience put a bit of beat into the beast.

Having said that, lovers of traditionally crafted theatre will enjoy this work, but I fear its central message is preaching to the choir, composed of old white liberals of course. Although, schools will love it for its mix of history and politics so perhaps it’ll manage to influence a young generation.

But in directing this play, Homann, who was last year’s Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner, has taken no risks, preferring to remain in the comfortable study liberals were accused of being afraid to leave rather than getting out and confronting the mud and guts of lives they were advocating for.

A Voice I Cannot Silence is on the Main this weekend. Programme notes here.

– Steve Kretzmann.