Theatre Review: Botswana Makes The Culture Proud At Playstation Theater
SYNOPSIS: Pula, or rain, is highly cherished in Botswana, a semi-arid country in Africa. This fictional play – anchored on the practical and mystical relationship that Batswana have with rain – traces how rain brings humans, plants and animals under one Botswana sky.Because of this close relationship with rain, Batswana have always had endless names for rain depending on whether the rain is creating or destroying, whether it is before or after the planting of crops. And so, when drought hits one tiny village in Botswana, the chief assembles his villagers to find a solution. One young woman, Mmapula, is identified as the Rainmaker who must set forth in adventurous search of a specific type of life-giving rain for her people.
You may not know this, but I am proud of my Afro-Latino descent. Thus, watching Botswana I was eager to see how Broadway would embrace and elevate stories and dancing that is NOT often within its sphere. Yes, I know we have the Lion King, but that is Disney. Botswana promised to show the magic of this African culture/ country. Spoken mostly in Setswana, with English translations on a small screen above, the mythos of this dance play slowly begins to unravel.
Lone Thabang Motsomi plays Mmapula; the beautiful, sweet daughter of her village’s Rainmaker. He is the one that assures is kept away, and is vital to the livelihood of the tribe. Yet, when drought hits, the ancestors demand that new Rainmaker be born: i.e. Mmapula must take her rightful inheritance. In African culture, it is deeply important the notion that the dead never leave us. Instead, they watch and protect us as we pay homage to the lives they lived by best living our own. It is humble, beautiful thought that courses through Botswana, and slowly builds as we watch Mmapula go from a young girl bashfully dancing with passion to a young, married woman in love with a good man, and, eventually, become a powerful, magical Rainmaker.
Spiritual is a good way to describe Botswana, which is why I KNOW it shall return to Broadway. With how crazy this world is and with out current struggles in defining and inviting diversity, Botswana was a clear example of how to do it. Playing at Playstation Theater, it was a show about energy. From its consistently, high-octane dancing to the best Afro-pop to soundtrack a moment, there was constant adrenaline. You did not need to know Setswana to understand the emotion and pure offering of good feelings that this cast of dancers were giving. They were having the time of their lives, while you re-contemplated your fitness regiment. Moreover, I truly appreciated women of all sizes and features dancing with the same exhilaration that one dances when you are human, happy, and displaying their culture to those who might not know it.
While I saw a few Botswana flags waving, it was, definitely, intriguing to see the crowd mixed between those coming to represent their culture and those coming to see an unrepresented one. Either way, it was jovial and stunning to see “The Rainmaker” legend come to life. It was inspiring to see the reverent connections people can have to the environment; speaking and begging the earth for her fruit rather than hurting and sullying her as if it was a given. Like I said, Botswana will be back. It was too good for just a two day run.
