By Staff Reporter
The Suit is a short story about adultery by the late South African journalist, writer, and teacher, Can Themba.
The story was first published in 1963 in the first issue of The Classic – a South African literary journal founded by two great authors who are also late, Nat Nakasa and Nadine Gordimer.
It is a legendary short story that has held an important place in South Africa’s literary history.
The Suit was adapted for the stage by Mothobi Mutloatse and the late Barney Simon in 1994. Since then, it has been performed in different theatres around the world. In 2016, it was turned into a short film by Jarryd Coetsee.
The Suit returns as The Suit Concert-ized. It is produced, conceptualised and adapted by Dr Mothobi Mutloatse, alongside the youthful Mbasa Gobodo. The Suit Concert-ized is staged under the artistic direction of Warona Seane, who has also scooped multiple awards for her acting work.
Continuing the strong feminist focus, Lulu Mlangeni heads up the choreography, stage management is by Emelda Khola and musical direction by composer Tshepo Tsotetsi, the founder of the New Skool Orchestra, which is predominantly made up of young female musicians.
Award-winning actors Vusi Kunene and Linda Sokhulu will be leading a powerhouse cast to bring The Suit Concert-ized to the musical stage at Gold Reef City’s Lyric Theatre from 20 to 22 May.
Linda Sokhulu
The production is set to be a mix of drama, classical, gospel, choral and jazz inflections and themes, largely influenced by the rich diversity of what could be referred to as the Sophiatown Renaissance, infused with modern-day original, authentic South African sounds.
Reimagining the Sophiatown-era Can Themba’s story of a jilted husband’s revenge on his cheating wife through a female-centric lens, the production also stars Brian Temba as the ‘other man’.
Focus is on Matilda, a violinist and leader of a symphonic orchestra in Joburg in the 1950s, which breaks from previous approaches that portrayed her as a victim.
By placing a different spin on the story, the producers aim to tell a classic South African tale through a female lens. The musical also addresses the issue of gender-based violence head-on, creates a multi-genre experience and places music at the centre of the narrative with original compositions.
Zama Mkosi, founder and CEO of the Mkosi Group, is the executive producer, with Tsepo Desando as the co-producer.
“By reimagining this iconic story, the aim is to amplify the voice of women in the story. This will contribute toward the much-needed efforts to curb the silencing of the female voice in society, which often leads to increased abuse be it by their intimate partners, as was the case in this particular story, or in other spheres of women’s lives,” said Mkosi.
In addition to Kunene as cuckolded husband Philemon, Sokhulu as Matilda/Mbalenhle and Temba as the love interest Thozamile/Orpheus, the musical also introduces two gifted classical musicians to audiences – violinist Lebogang Ledwaba as the young Matilda and violist Kgaugelo Mpiyane as the young Thozamile.
Supporting actors include veterans Job Kubatsi, Alistair Dube and Khanyo Maphumulo and singer Lebo Moalusi.
Mutloatse said: “It has taken all of three years, two of which were disabled by the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, to get this thoroughly therapeutic musico-dramatico, The Suit Concert-ized, back to where it belongs – on a live stage – featuring an ensemble of actors and musicians of the highest calibre.”
