Musicals focusing on political leaders are not a new realm for the theatrical format. From the satirical works of Brecht to full-scale modern musical works by Andrew Lloyd Weber, musical theatre has been used to explore the lives of political heavyweights to educate and entertain. The Young Vic plays host to the world premiere of a show about one of the 20th century’s most important political figures, Nelson Mandela, writes Christopher Peacock.
Mandela: A New Musical is produced in partnership with the Mandela family with Nelson’s granddaughter Nandi Mandela and her son Luvuto Madasa part of the co-producing team. The show covers the life of Nelson Mandela from his time as an activist in the early stages of the fight against apartheid, through his time imprisoned on Robben Island, up to his release in 1990.
The music and lyrics by Greg Dean Borowsky and Shaun Borowsky have the authentic feel and vibrancy of South African music. Gregory Maqoma’s choreography is a highlight; the dance routines being the most memorable and strongest parts of the show as a spectacle. Not much is gleaned, however, from Laiona Michelle’s book. With no other perspectives explored we learn nothing new about the man and the struggle hard won.
Michael Luwoye’s performance as Mandela is strong and lets him show off his Broadway background, he does, though, give in to doing an impersonation of the icon’s distinctive voice. Along with Nelson, the show hosts some of his activist colleagues from Walter Sisulu and Ahmed Kethrada, who go to prison with him, and Oliver Tambo who exiles himself to the UK to try and garner global support for the anti-apartheid movement. Of these three, I found Ntsikelelo Nicholas Vani as Tambo to be the strongest, he had presence belying his slender stature and tried to bring depth to a brief role in the show.
The show is bonafide South African production with Nelson’s family directly involved and dominated by South African artists; the whole production’s credentials cannot be questioned. The horrific parts of the anti-apartheid story from the Sharpeville massacre to the Soweto uprising flash briefly and shock us with the brutality of the regime. But having multiple leaders of South Africa portrayed by the singular Prime Minister rather characterises them and plays more like a pantomime villain rather than the calculated discriminative government that it was.
Possibly because of the proximity to the great man as a production, but also in time, that the telling of his story and his vision of a rainbow nation falls a little flat. Maybe with more time and with different viewpoints, a fuller picture could be shown.
Young Vic, 66 The Cut, Waterloo, London SE1 8LZ until 4th February.
Times: Mon-Sat, 7.30pm; Wed & Sat matinee, 2.00pm.
Box Office: 020 7922 2922 – boxoffice@youngvic.org
