Can we believe all that we are told? Is telling the truth about a situation people should be aware of considered a hinderance? How far are we prepared to go to PROVE ones self? These are a few of the questions you ask yourself throughout and after this thought provoking piece of theatre.
The story follows political journalist Bellamy Johan who risks everything, including his life, in attempts to expose the truth behind the change in the 2011 Libyan regime. He unveils the goings on behind the scenes of the inner workings of the mainstream media, making us question what we thought we knew.
Though a two act play, the show is split into six sections. The plot thickens and intensifies mildly with each one looking at Conspiracy, Capitalism, Democracy, Money, Execution and the Epilogue. Safe to say this play covers a lot of ground. Now with that being said, there were times when I felt lost in the text as it’s filled with so much politics that the energy of the piece peaks and troughs. Now fair to say, I am not that familiar with the topic, but at points made me feel like this is something for the highly intellectual. I found it quite hard to be completely immersed with the drama.
Walles Hamonde brings a refreshing burst of energy through his moments of light comedy. His stage presence as the three characters he portrayed really helped lift the piece for me. There were points during the Taraq character where he reminded me of Jackie Chan in Rush Hour. Taya de la Cruz acts as the cast chameleon; kudos for her final filmed footage!. Andrew Lawden’s emotional scene during the execution was definitely his strongest moment in the play. The role of Bellamy played by Jonathan Hansler was just an easy watch. Truth behind his words really made me appreciate his journey through the story. Now apart from the odd ‘drop out of accent’ and talking over each other, I found a way to go with the story.
What I found interesting was the use of a projection screen, which set up a visual of where the scene was set; although delays during the Skype Calls scenes came across as unintentional, which made me feel uncomfortable for the actors. The set was minimal with two chairs and a tall desk. Nothing too crazy for the ‘bomb shelter’ feel of the theatre.
All in all, this was an interesting theatre experience. I haven’t seen anything like this before and commend Reggie Adams for this new written drama. Though segmented, it still had a political flow. It is truly a story with a political message. Therefore to fully grasp the show a decent amount of knowledge on the subject is required. With that being said, it’s a great way to test a thought or opinion.
Reviewed by Shekinah Mcfarlane
An interview with Gaddafi is playing at: The Waterloo East Theatre until 29 June 2014. Click here for tickets.
