Body language

‘We use the Western story as our creative device,’ explains Mahlangu. ‘But we are using South African actors who have South African stories living in their own bodies. So we created this parallel world of using the American story as a frame, but somatically we are excavating the South African story and creating these parallel relationships.’

Mahlangu, who has gained international renown for his venerable work as a choreographer, performer and teacher, was not satisfied at the prospect of only scrutinising America. ‘I’ve never done a piece that’s about something foreign and only about that. Even if you gave me a Shakespeare today, I would still want the actors to bring their own personal narrative: “what does it mean to you? What is your Romeo in life? What is your Hamlet in life?” If it’s only about one thing, then it’s empty for me; it’s not interesting.’

Dark Noon draws on Mahlangu’s experience with devised theatre, with actors assembling (in full view of the audience) the buildings and structures that ‘make’ and symbolise America. ‘Because the piece is about land, we wanted it to be an immersive experience where the audience gets to see the vastness of land from the outside. Then once in a while they get to be invited in. It’s almost like you’ve stepped out of the world that you live in, and you are looking at it from the outside.’

Seeing the process of labour up close was paramount. ‘It’s all well and good to have stage hands moving the set but it’s not the kind of theatre we were intending to make. In terms of constructing and deconstructing and reconstructing, it was our intention to make that a language of the piece because of how the West and the Americas were built.’

Tue Biering was put in touch with Mahlangu after voicing a desire to work with an African director. After some Zoom conversations, they met in-person in Germany, and their fierce creative chemistry led to a unique directing process. ‘We had to find a common ground, a language and a shorthand,’ explains Mahlangu. ‘My process is to develop a situation, explore it physically, and then give actors an opportunity to write and reflect about how they feel about that exercise. I then make those feelings a part of the text and script.’

It’s fitting that a play about how history naturally expunges the voice of the oppressed emerged as a result of such collaborative efforts. Mahlangu’s work has always sought to examine complex ideas with a heightened awareness of the vessel we all move through the world in: our own bodies. ‘I keep making movements that are informed by personal history. The history you don’t even remember lives in your body.’

With this in mind, Dark Noon’s international resonance is even clearer. Mahlangu sees storytelling on a multidimensional, metaphysical plain. ‘I believe that the world travels in two directions. There’s a horizontal direction, from the beginning and middle to the end; and there’s a vertical direction, which involves death and the visceral memory. And that is rooted in South Africa. The horizontal line is rooted in America.’ After seeing his latest work, audiences may find it impossible to see history the same way again.

Dark Noon, Pleasance At EICC, 2–27 August, 5pm.

From serenading Nelson Mandela to building a Caribbean sauce empire, Levi Roots has been there, done that. Now, as Zara Janjua discovers, he has a new iron in a fresh fire, bringing sound-system culture to the stage in a ‘reggae Romeo And Juliet’

B‘ack in my day, kids didn’t want to join gangs; it was all about sound systems,’ Levi Roots says before regaling me with a re-enactment of his first ever musical performance. He laughs infectiously, explaining how getting on stage as a box boy in 1977 secured him a spot in Sir Coxsone’s legendary sound system.

‘Music was a big thing for me; I had a sort of vibe for music,’ says Roots.

‘A few weeks after that performance, I recorded my first song “Poor Man’s Story” and that became a massive hit.’ His music career was propelled by sound-system culture and he quickly found himself mixing with reggae royalty. ‘I was playing football with Bob Marley in Battersea Park at the weekends. He was a huge inspiration for me; I couldn’t believe I was rubbing shoulders with him and it was all because of my music.’