{"id":105363,"date":"2023-10-10T16:24:29","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T14:24:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woordfees.co.za\/uncategorized\/delela-astrant\/"},"modified":"2023-10-10T16:24:29","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T14:24:29","slug":"delela-astrant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woordfees.co.za\/en\/theatre\/delela-astrant\/","title":{"rendered":"Delela (Astrant)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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REVIEW<\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Cheeky is not enough\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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by Diane de Beer<\/b>
Production: Delela (Astrant)<\/b>
Photos: Mark Wessels<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Delela<\/em> (which is translated as cheeky) has three young professionals, all bristling agenda, working the room and each other to create the perfect company. They\u2019re all in it for themselves \u2013 nothing less than what\u2019s in it for me. Their goal is direct and blistering.<\/p>

Because of our apartheid past we are still trying to manage balance but in this instance (surprise, surprise) the oblivious white male (Daniel Barney Newton) is the problem. He is still battling the names if it isn\u2019t Jack or Jill, doesn\u2019t even recognise woke and isn\u2019t much bothered by anything because he has, and believes he always will have, the power.<\/p>

Two women step into his space; the one his sister (Frances Sholto-Douglas, obviously white) and the other, a sassy black woman (Katlego Lebogang), whom the siblings need more than anything as the face of the company. Neither of them wants to play ball and that\u2019s when the peccadilloes fly loose.<\/p>

It\u2019s fun and funny, but here\u2019s where my problems emerged.<\/p>

In a universe where the so-called leading country of the free world is considering re-electing a racist, four times indicted, corrupt and misogynist president and 30 years on, in what is still sometimes referred to as our new democracy, I found myself yearning for a hard-line script and an approach that would deliver a disabling punch \u2013 not just laughter. It\u2019s much too late for that.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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With so much crumbling around us, all visible with predictably disastrous outcomes which we have suffered before, any gentle tidings should be long gone. We need to shout about evils like racism, which should have been eradicated, yet no one is listening.<\/p>

All the familiar tropes are being trotted out here and we hear them so often, no one takes any notice. It\u2019s all too familiar, it almost sounds safe.<\/p>

We should find new ways to tell stories about race. We\u2019ve been in transformation mode for more than 30 years. Those who haven\u2019t moved on, should step up and those who don\u2019t, should simply be left behind.<\/p>

There were some gasps as if some of what was said was daring, but we need more now. Those who want to return to the good old days are making and breaking it their way. If we don\u2019t take the gloves off, start shouting from the rooftops, it won\u2019t make any difference.<\/p>

Theatre is the safest place to tell our stories, to shape our worlds and to make sure we don\u2019t take three steps forward and three back.<\/p>

Let\u2019s finally move on\u2026\u00a0<\/p>

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