Cue Online (Grahamstown)
Moagisi Letlhaku
3 July 2009
Afrika: Mama Yo! is a satirical play about a BEE company called Elastic Djembe that jumps on the 2010 band wagon and pitches to a panel (the audience) for the opportunity to produce a music extravaganza that celebrates the “real Africa”, to be staged during the 2010 World Cup.
The two main actors, Nicholas Pule Welch, who plays a white man who embraces his “black side”, and Wezlee Masilo Makgamatha use all sorts of humorous tactics on stage to illustrate their concept – “2010 Africa on Stage” – including elements of stand-up comedy, dance, singing and exaggerated speech.
One particularly funny scene is one where Raymond Ngomane, who also plays “Mfumfu Wa Africa”, acts as a woman giving birth while doing a popular township dance, sika le khekhe.
Welch and Makgamatha crawl in and out from between her legs, illustrating the many children Africa has gives birth to.
Using the pitch as a vehicle, the play comments on social issues such as war, racial tension and poverty, while also making fun of BEE and celebrating Africa’s cultural diversity.
Afrika: Mama Yo! is produced by Megan Godsell, and also features Jerry Mtongo as Ma Thousand, the chief executive of Elastic Djeme, and Mashabela Galane, the soccer player who shows off his plastic carry bag with the slogan, “Bafana Bafana, No Problem”.
It is a little slapstick at times, but the clever ideas behind the jokes come through. If you enjoy watching TV comedies such as The Office and Arrested Development, you should go and see this show.
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