Kebble ‘Babble’ set to ruffle a few feathers

WHAT looks poised to be a bold satirical offering on the SA of today is set to premiere at the Musho International Theatre Festival of One and Two Person Theatre.

Allan Kolski Horwitz’s Comrade Babble, described as a political satire inspired by the rise and fall of Brett Kebble, will stage this week at the festival.

After speaking to Kolski Horwitz about his play, I have not doubt that this production will ruffle feathers and provoke debate about the political climate in SA.

And rather than pussyfooting around the issue, Kolski Horwitz said he hoped that the play would spark reaction: “Quite frankly, theatre must provoke, not for provocation’s sake, but to create debate about important issues.”

Kolski Horwitz said his play was not about Kebble, but rather inspired by Kebble’s story, within the broader context of a changed political climate in SA – one tarnished by corruption and “massive abuse of public confidence”.

“The saga of Brett Kebble has to be looked at from two levels. It is a very SA story, but it is also a very universal human story, which has been told in different societies around the ages,” he explained,

“In this play the Kebble character goes by three names: Mephistopheles, the devil; Medici, Italian Renaissance patron of the arts; and Babble, referring to the gift of the gab, a person who uses words to trick and bewilder, bring people into his orbit, and basically sell them ice.”

He said that at the start of the new SA there were hopes for a “clean break” from the past, a society based on respect and equality.

“But this was the lie of the Brett Kebble era. What we have today is massive abuse of public confidence by key political figures,” he said.

Kolski Horwitz said Kebble came from a privileged background, but that he wasn’t from a wealthy family. Kebble went to a top school and was always an outsider.

“My psychological profile of him is that he longed for acceptance in these circles. But the play is not simply about the Brett Kebble archetype; it has six characters and is a satirical work using the Kebble archetype and an array of characters. It is not political commentary, but done in satirical style.

“Comrade Babble returns from the dead to clear his name and set the record straight, but in the process all the different characters come forward to challenge him. Today we need a new type of political theatre,” he elaborated.

Kolski Horwitz said “Struggle theatre” had its place, but in the SA of today, there was a vastly different struggle under way.

“There is a general feeling that corruption is becoming extended and that there is a new class of ‘haves’ taking stage. And, if you look at Kebble, he presented, in way, that he was there to build up black business, but he was a fraudster. Is white SA still perpetuating the same con on SA people?

“This is why the Kebble story appealed to me, because it encapsulates a new chapter in our history which is being besmirched by a class of opportunists who stop at nothing to get what they want.

“The play raises a lot of questions around our society, so if it provokes debate, I will be very happy,” he said.

Written and directed by Kolski Horwitz, Comrade Babble will be performed by Renos Spanoudes and Lebohang Motaung.

Kolski Horwitz is a respected writer and poet.

According to the University of Kwazulu-natal’s website, he was born in Vryburg in 1952 and grew up in Cape Town where he studied political philosophy and literature. Between 1974 and 1985 he lived in the Middle East, Europe and North America, returning to SA in 1986 when he worked in the trade unions as an organiser and educator. – additional information from www.cca.ukzn.ac.za

STARTING the 2012 theatre calendar in Durban on an exciting note is the Musho International Theatre Festival of One and Two Person Theatre, which begins tomorrow.

Not only can Durbanites enjoy extra festival days this year, but thanks to funding, the organisers have booked stellar productions, including the world premiere of Allan Kolski Horwitz’s Comrade Babble, described as “a political satire inspired by the rise and fall of Brett Kebble”.

This year the festival has more productions, covering a variety of genres, with some shows coming from abroad.

Festival director Emma Durden explains: “Three years ago we had no funding so we reduced Musho to a weekend. Last year we had no confirmed funding and decided to do the festival on a smaller scale. This year we knew we had some funding up front.

“We had more than 40 proposals, so we were able to get a wide selection of comedy, drama, physical theatre, satirical plays and also a children’s show (i-puppeti, written and directed by Clinton Marius, performed by Shika Budhoo and Mpume Mthombeni), which we didn’t have last year.

“So we hope parents will make the most of this and bring the kids along.”

The seventh Musho Festival features 16 productions, which will run over five days, all celebrating the art of the one- and two-performer play.

Durden says these are intimate productions that will showcase the skill of theatre performance and storytelling. They will also cover a wide range of styles.

This year’s line-up features works by Dutch and SA performers, including the physical theatre show Les Pigeons, the surfing spectacular Bru, the tsotsi story Meet Bra Two-six and the hit hip hop show