By BRUCE DENNILL
The Bacchae: An African Choral Ballet / Directed by Jay Pather / Mandela, Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
The first thing that becomes evident for audience members who have arrived at The Bacchae: An African Choral Ballet not knowing quite what to expect is the scale – of what happens onstage; of the vision behind it, creating an original work that, among other things, helps Joburg Ballet to celebrate its 25th anniversary; and of the practical effort and resources needed to bring the work to life.
Joburg Theatre’s Mandela Theatre is pretty much the perfect room for the piece, with its massive performance space – the part of the giant stage used extends 40m or more back from the orchestra pit, which is simply not possible in most South African venues – just one of the infrastructural aspects that allows the production’s component parts to be not only accommodated, but shown off to the maximum extent.
There is much to look at: once a screen the size of the proscenium arch on which disturbing images are projected is lifted, it’s possible to see, at the rear of the stage, the 70-strong UJ Choir, in front of whom stand soloists Merna Nicholls, Philasande Malevu, Thabiso Masemane, Christopher Vale and Vhahangwele Moopo, along with Dionysus (Kitty Phetla) in Act One and Pentheus (Revil Yon) in Act Two. In front of the choir is the space, populated by different props and set facets, where the Joburg Ballet dancers, starring variously as the Bacchae, the Community of Thebes and the various officers serving the lead characters. Closest to the audience, in the pit, the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra is arrayed under the baton of Eddie Clayton, who multitasks impressively to guide the choir as well from his raised dais.
If you’re able to see all of this from your seat, the effect is feeling like you’re in a theatre in one of the great European arts capitals – Paris, Rome, Madrid, Berlin, Moscow – and it’s beyond thrilling, even before it becomes apparent what’s going on.
With so much to look at and appreciate, it must be said that noting the details of the plot is not easy to begin with. But the opening scene sets the tone for the ballet as a whole in a number of important ways. Most arresting, perhaps, are the dancers’ costumes, with flowing fabric around the legs and arms and conical head coverings creating the impression of a more fashionable, more African Handmaid’s Tale.
The classical Greek story of the Bacchae, by the tragedian Euripides, is not cheerful stuff. Dionysus, god of wine, fertility and ecstasy, returns from banishment with revenge in mind, targeting the autocratic ruler of Thebes, Pentheus. The people of the city, including Dionysus’ followers (the Bacchae) get caught up in the violence, as does Pentheus’ mother Agave (Monike Cristina). Some, including the old king Cadmus (Bruno Miranda) and the prophet Tiresias (Ryoko Yagyu), advise caution, but the mob mindset doesn’t allow for restraint.
Such serious themes are not unusual in classical ballet, but for lovers of the more traditional choreography of those works, the story is not the only disquieting element of The Bacchae. Mthuthuzeli November’s choreography is designed to support the anger and vindictiveness of some of the characters, and to reflect his influences, including traditional African dance, pantsula, kwaito and contemporary dance in addition to ballet. Along with Neo Muyanga’s score, which he has created to incorporate elements of ritual and trance and which, as a result, includes a number of percussion elements along with some slight, intentional discordance and the tight collective control of the choir (the stark rhythmic cadence of an a cappella section in the second act is a show highlight), this makes for a deeply different kind of ballet than many audiences will be used to. To be clear, that is a good thing: the classical canon exists and is wonderful; the contemporary catalogue continues to develop and, as familiarity grows, it will potentially fill a similar space in the collective imagination and passion.
As Dionysus, Kitty Phetla is a powerful presence, the magnetic centre of every scene she is in. Monike Cristina’s Agave is a potent counterbalance, even more feral, if not as foundational to the story. Mario Gaglione as The Cynic, a Theban officer apparently as angry with proceedings as his name suggests, is also excellent, giving his solo work punchy, precise forcefulness.
Of the soloists, baritone Christopher Vale and tenor Philasande Malevu have voices that cut cleanly through the orchestra’s output, advancing the plot with storytelling lyrics.
A production with the range and complexity of The Bacchae requires enormous investment on every front. The result here confirms artistic returns that more than reciprocate for all the partnerships and months of work and practical, musical and athletic effort and create, if not a template, then at least concentrated inspiration for productions that can and hopefully will be in South Africa’s major theatres.