Theater Review: A Man Of Good Hope Shows Resilience Is Not For The Weak
Admittedly, we all have a reason to complain. If we look at our lives for darkness, we would surely find some blemishes in the form of worry, insecurity, and loss. Although suffering is not a competition, there are certain tales of woe that sober you enough to realize not simply that you have it better but that you have been acting weaker. A human spirits ability to survive and find reason to thrive is always a moving tale, especially in a A Man Of Good Hope, directed by Mark Dornford-May.
Based on the book by Jonny Steinberg, A Man Of Good Hope is a the story of a Somalian refugee Asad Abdullahi. The musical finds him retelling his journey to Steinberg from being an 8 year old boy left orphaned by Somalia’s civil war in 1991 to a young man jumping from country to country trying to build home and even a dream. Asad’s story is gut-wrenching and the musical has a difficult task of grasping the weight of all the wrongs that strike his life. For the audience, it is one hit after the other, but when your life is torn by war, there are not many, if at all, instances where you can take an emotional or physical break. In this sense, the musical can leave the audience bombarded by the heaviness of Asad’s life, but the music and singing of the Isango Ensemble/ Young Vic brings an alleviation of hope that confounds viewers. When we hear the operatic voices of Busisiwe Ngejane (Fasiya) or Pauline Malefane (Yindy), you feel torn by the high notes of their voice and the lowliness of their impoverished situations. Yet again, for me, this is where I appreciated A Man Of Good Hope for being honest about violence but also resilient to it.
It is hard to remember that many people are trying to survive life, let alone live it. Yet, Musharaf Siphosethu Juta, Zoleka Mpotsha,Luvo Tamba, Ayanda Tikolo all play Asad at different points of his life. Each bring a new layer to Asad’s journey, but manage to keep his perseverance, compassion, and wonder the three solid characteristics to his humanity that go unchanged throughout his story. Musharaf especially shines as the youngest Asad. He is complete charm upon the stage and an unforgettable bright spot to the musical. As Asad grows and migrates, the brightness of the play comes through the growing spiritual hymns and their noted contrast to Asad’s situation. The music direction of Mandisi Dyantyis and Pauline Malefane does well to bring African music/ culture to life in song and helps to further build the varying world of A Man OF Good Hope in contrast to its rather simple set by Maris Sharp. Yet, not a lot needs to be done in costuming or stage for such a vivid story of human spirit. For More Information On BAM Click Here.
