Confronting South Africa’s socio-political reality

CELEBRATED playwright, actor, director and producer Ashwin Singh will return to the stage with his latest production, Into the Grey, at the Playhouse Company next month.

The play will be staged from September 13 to 15.

Singh, 46, of Durban North, wrote the play, which focuses on the long association between two activists, Dr Logan Pillay and advocate Sandile Ndlovu.

“The story commences in the late 1980s, with the two lead characters attempting to inspire the youth in their communities to join them in the fight against apartheid,” said Singh.

“It then moves to South Africa’s transition to democracy as Logan and Sandile build a special youth centre and activist meeting place in Chatsworth called Free-dome. This centre becomes the powerful focal point for the marginalised South Coast communities of Durban and provides the ultimate inspiration for father/son Anil and Vinesh Maharaj.

“But Free-dome erodes and falls, and the community sinks into despair and self-destruction.”

The protagonists, Pillay and Ndlovu, struggled through their professional challenges and battled their personal demons as they faced increasing alienation from each other, he said. The twist was when they were suddenly thrown together again and had to face the inconvenient truths of their current plight. Their world is spiralling out of control, their special place destroyed by the father and son who once vowed to preserve it for their lifetimes and their country stands at the edge of a precipice. The play questions whether Pillay and Ndlovu will relocate the passion and kindness which used to drive their every action or will they also fall into an increasing state of apathy.

“This production was born out of a need I had to confront our contemporary socio-political reality to ask challenging questions as to why South Africa is sinking into an abyss,” said Singh.

“The honeymoon period of Nelson Mandela is long gone. Struggle values have been compromised, corruption in the public sector is endemic, economic disparity has become intolerable. I wanted to present a work which examined the last days of apartheid, our difficult transition to democracy and then the contemporary crises that we face. This is seen through the eyes of activists who battle professional foes and personal demons in their attempts to build a world based on a human rights culture.”

The production features Menzi Mkhwane (Ndlovu), Rory Booth (multiple supporting characters – Anil and Vinesh Maharaj, Sergeant Moodley and nurse Robbie Philander) and Singh (Pillay). It is directed by Ralph Lawson.

Tickets are available at Computicket.