THE PASSION PLAY
DIRECTOR: Dawn Haynes
CAST: A cast of more than 100
VENUE: The Playhouse
UNTIL: April 24
RATING: *****
AS we entered the Playhouse Drama Theatre for the opening night of The Passion Play, it felt like entering another time with a set that transformed the venue into a scene from Jerusalem thousands of years ago.
For the duration of the play, I was left even more impressed after discovering the set was a rotating one which changed between scenes of The Baptism of Christ to The Crucifixion and The Ascension.
What better time of year to stage this production than in the month of Easter and after watching it I have learned you cannot even begin to comprehend the story of Christ until you’ve seen it play out before your eyes.
And the cast of The Passion Play have outdone themselves in performing this production.
The way in which they enact the different scenes bridges the gap that sets in when acknowledging something as an act of history, in this case also biblical accounts of the events around Christ’s life on earth.
One walks away with more of an appreciation of what happened those thousands of years ago.
The lead role of Christ was played by Newlands East resident Denzil Deane. Although not a trained actor, it was obvious how much Deane had thrown himself into the role.
An example of this was when he portrayed the heaviness and sadness Jesus must have felt in the garden of Gethsemane as he agonised over the fate that awaited him – death by crucifixion. Also, on the day of his crucifixion Christ cried out to God as he hung on the cross, his voice heavy with heartbreak and Deane did so with such natural prowess that it left one with goose flesh.
Another actor who stood out was Murray Leyden, who played Pontius Pilot, roman Governor of Judaea. As he pondered the claims of the Sanhedrin High Priests, against Jesus he seemed genuinely troubled and attentive.
I also enjoyed Anthony Dominic Sandiah as Judas as he displayed a genuine discomfort around Jesus at The Last Supper, sparked by the shame he felt for betraying Jesus.
That said, the entire cast, down to the children of primary school-going age, displayed great levels of professionalism in their respective roles, even those of the crowds who followed Jesus, or those who were agitators for his arrest.
To see those crowds waving palm fronds and shouting “Hosana!” as they welcomed Christ into their town, and equally so to see the flip side of large numbers of people mocking him and cheering on the Roman soldiers to flog him, cannot be fully appreciated in small numbers.
The fullness and depth of this production lay in its extensive cast who put on an extraordinary performance and in the real-life set design that transports you out of your seat and into the time and moments of the production itself.
lThe Passion Play runs at the Playhouse Drama Theatre until April 24.
Tickets range from R30 to R60 at Computicket. There are day and night performances as well as a signed performance for the hearing impaired on April 16 at 2pm. For more information call Clifton Brock at 083 286 2155.