The Tragedy of Samuel Omunye, Theatre
Review
By Nomfundo Mbatha
What started as a calm, almost playful theatre play quickly turned into a roller coaster of emotions. It was an intense and thought-provoking performance, the likes of which I have never seen before. Laughter echoed through the theatre in the opening scenes as Professor Samuel and the violent, but weirdly charming General Muga exchanged humorous jabs and philosophical chats. But as the minutes passed, something shifted, and you could feel it in the audience. Humour gave way to tension. Smiles faded. And soon, we were holding our breath.
The Tragedy of Samuel Omunye, written and directed by Masai Sepuru, is set against the backdrop of a country in the grips of civil war. The story revolves around a former friendship now torn apart by politics, betrayal, and unspoken pain. Muga (Sello Ramolahloane), once a comrade, now a hardened general, kidnaps Professor Samuel (Molefi Monaisa) to confront him over his latest paper on free will. But instead of fear, Samuel meets him with emotion, challenging him to a battle of ideas. What unfolds is a stunning, layered performance that explores loyalty, ego, destiny, and the ghosts of the past.
What makes this production so unforgettable is not just the powerful dialogue, but the raw emotions behind every spoken word. Munga’s pain is hidden beneath rage and power, while Samuel, calm but deeply wounded in his own way, tries to make sense of where it all went wrong. The chemistry between the actors was electric at times – you didn’t know whether they would hug, cry, or kill each other.
By the final scene, the theatre was quiet, not because the play demanded it, but we were emotionally glued to it, the only thing you would hear around the room was “mmmh.”
It left me questioning how far ideas can take us before they destroy what truly matters – our relationships and our humanity. This was not just a play, it was an experience. One that starts with laughter but ends with a gut punch. And it reminds us that sometimes, the biggest wars are not fought with guns but with words, regrets, and what-ifs.
