Eminent South African lighting and production designer, Wilhelm Disbergen, has once
again brought his unique talent to the stage for Tamasha on Hope Street, a brand-new
cutting-edge production by award winning playwright Rajesh Gopie.
Tamasha, a Hindi word meaning “trouble’ or “chaos’, becomes a set for a gripping and
thought- provoking metaphor to this unforgettable drama that will take audiences on
a roller coast ride of bewildering emotions that will leave them charged with a sense
of hope for the despairing situations people find themselves in.
The play premiered at the Market Theatre on 13 September and will run until 1
October 2017. Rajesh Gopie is one of South Africa’s best exports, who has produced
hard- hitting productions every time he pens a play. Tamasha on Hope Street has
been strategically selected to celebrate Heritage Month because a core feature in the
production are the traditions and cultures of the Indian community of South Africa.
Gopala Davies is a rising star that is taking South African theatre by storm; he will
make his directorial debut at The Market Theatre mentored by Gita Pather, a theatre
veteran who has produced award winning plays in a career that spans over thirty
years.
Tamasha on Hope Street focuses on the socio-economic conditions of Chatsworth, an
Indian township 20km south of the port city of Durban, South Africa. The play tells
the story of an unlikely friendship between Payal, a young Indian girl born in
Chatsworth who works as a street prostitute, and Albert, a Zimbabwean night
watchman. The play boasts an array of creative talent that includes actors Dhaveshan
Govender, Lindani Nkosi, Matthew MacFarlane, Afzal Khan, Keith Gengadoo and
Ameera Patel.
Disbergen uses Green Hippo media server and digital display technology to bring the
modest set, constructed entirely of used cardboard boxes, to life. “For this production,
we have used Green Hippo to add subtle effects, complementing the understated set
and design,’ states Disbergen. While subtle, Disbergen gracefully transforms the
mono-colour set to depict a stunning rain storm and a vibrant market, as well as
bringing iconic imagery drawn from Hinduism to life. Most impressive was the use of
projection to create the illusion of trains passing the characters by during the play –
creating a wonderful sense of movement and drama on the set.
The production was made possible by the Department of Arts and Culture Incubation
Programme, which supports a series of incubation programmes designed to boost the
level of fresh young talent in the theatre industry and see more local content brought
to the stage.
