The Confession, Theatre
Venue: Princess Alice
Review
By Karabo Matalajoe
At the heart of the story The Confession is a young girl named Thembisa, who is caught in reliving the past traumas of her family’s history. It is an exploration of grief, generational trauma and ancestral beliefs. However, what begins as a somber turn of events becomes a journey of discovery and healing.
The play’s narrative is structured with powerful flashbacks which provide us insight into the damaged relationship between Thembisa and her family, most importantly highlighting the abuse between her parents Mkhonto and Mazondi. Their marriage is displayed with so many emotions of violence, regret, love, and even grief. The audience is given a window into the events and circumstances playing into the abuse her mother suffered under for so may years, and which ultimately led to her death at the hands of Thembisa’s father who ran away and later died too. The play touches on realities of life, such as how families are not only shaped behind closed doors but are also judged within public whispers. One of the ways in which this is illustrated is within a scene that adds a layer of social commentary.
What sets The Confession apart is that Thembisa manages to cross over into a space not always accessible to explore; a space of ancestry. She traverses through moments of realisation within this space, forced to uncover difficult truths of her father’s abuse and from there confronts his spirits. In doing so, it allows her to attain emotional healing and to move on into a new life.
The Confession tackles the silence surrounding domestic violence, the emotional toll it takes on children, and the unseen labour of intergenerational healing. It does so without losing touch with its cultural roots, grounding the supernatural in ancestral belief systems that feel authentic and deeply relatable. It is a powerful piece of theatre that looks at pain, memory, and the hope of redemption.
Find the artist’s profile on our Instagram @Cue.
