Tag Archives: Tonderai Munyevu

Writer/Musical Director: Testament Director: Dawn Walton Designer: Simon Kenny Reviewer: Ron Simpson Black Men Walking, now on an extended tour by Eclipse Theatre Company, begins with an excellent idea and is blessed with a quartet of first-class performances, but the script sometimes fails to integrate Testament’s ambitious concept into a coherent whole. The play is dedicated to the Black Men’s ...

Writer: Testament Director: Dawn Walton Reviewer: James Garrington “We walked England before the English.” Trevor, Matthew and Richard like walking in the Peak District. Every month they meet and walk and talk. This time, although the forecast indicated that they should cancel, they press on in an attempt to fight their individual demons - until a blizzard brings them face to ...

Writer: Testament Director: Dawn Walton Reviewer: Katherine Kirwin “We walk” repeat the chants of Thomas, Richard and Matthew as they head out into the misty wilderness of the Peak District. Inspired by a real walking group for black men in Sheffield, Black Men Walking marks a collaboration between Eclipse Theatre and Leeds-based rapper, writer and performer Testament. Directed by Dawn ...

Writer: Bryony Lavery, from the book by Robert Louis Stevenson Director: Phillip Breen Reviewer: Selwyn Knight As Robert Louis Stevenson said of Treasure Island, “it [is] a story for boys … women were excluded”, and its cast of characters certainly bears that out. But history also tells us that 18th-century women did do physical work and were even pirates. It ...

Writers: Athol Fugard, John Kani &Winston Ntshona Director: Matthew Xia Reviewer: May Mellstrom ‘We own nothing but ourselves’. The overall theme of identity pervades this revival of Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, a co-production by the Eclipse Theatre Company and Young Vic, where the play recently enjoyed a sell-out run. Devised by playwright Athol Fugard with actors John Kani and Winston ...

Writer: Athol Fugard Director: Matthew Xia Reviewer: Marina Spark The anti-apartheid themes of freedom and independence that run through this 1972 play are communicated from the off with the audience entering the auditorium through different gates according to their race. Sibusiso Mamba strongly sets the tone, brashly directing audience members to their race-specific gate. The play's thoughtful attack on the ...

Devised by: Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona Director: Matthew Xia Reviewer: Christopher Hong At the time this work was first performed in 1972, apartheid in South Africa was in full swing. Restrictions on and discrimination against black people and the bureaucracy involved was extensive, exemplified by the pass book used to regulate their movement. This play charmingly weaves ...

Writer: Chuck Mike, Antonia Kemi Coker, Tonderai Munyevu Director: Chuck Mike Reviewer: Christopher Hong [rating:5] When Antonia Kemi Coker mistook Tonderai Munyevu as a girl during an audition held by Chuck Mike, she realised they have a few things in common. Kemi Coker herself is often mistaken as a man and this has prompted her to take on Mike’s suggestion ...