By ‘Odidi Matai-Sigudla
Ominous music greets the audience as they enter the Amazwi Auditorium. The stage contains a table set for two comprising wine glasses, a champagne bottle and a couch on one side of the stage. The lights start to dim as the audience are finally seated and wait in anticipation for the dark comedy Butlers And Bachelorettes.
The play is based on the competitive world of the television programme, Bachelorette, in which the cast are contestants. In this live-streamed series lurks something sinister as the audience gets to choose which contestant lives and which one dies. This startling turn of events leaves the audience shocked as they make their choice by lifting the side of the booklet with a specific colour.
Cast members are killed off, but the show must go on. In this way, our choices don’t seem to influence the play’s plot as much as it should. However, it was a great show with high quality performances from the cast who were able to entertain the audience by breaking the fourth wall and using sound and lighting to perfectly match each scene.
Butlers And Bachelorettes is a highly enjoyable piece of theatre that keeps its audience involved and entertained. Judging by the chatter amongst the crowd after the show, it seems like it’ll be one of the highlights of the Festival.
Butlers And Bachelorettes is showing at Amazwi Auditorium from 23 June to 1 July.
