MIME

MCB-TV-12687

SAMSON

SAMSON uproots the popular biblical hero-myth of betrayal, fury and revenge from its religious context, and transplants it into a dystopian post-colonial landscape of unbridled capitalism, human displacement, xenophobia and violence. It asks us to reflect on the historical injustices and repressed rage that so often underlie the ruthless acts of terror committed by marginalized, alienated men.

SAMSON was conceptualised as a sensuous, poetic, thought-provoking music-theatre piece based in the director’s fascination with shamanism, ritual, myth, the repressed and the non-rational. The diverse musical influences of the piece include dub-step, Romantic opera, African gospel, electronic soundscapes, blues and the deep shamanic rhythms of central African ritual.

The production was given South African national awards for Best Music Theatre Production and Best Director, was nominated for Best Design and Best Costumes.

SAMSON is set to a haunting live score composed and directed by one of South Africa’s foremost jazz and electronic musicians, Shane Cooper, who leads the onstage musical ensemble of 3 players. It features opera, choral and solo vocals.

Brett’s work to forge an eclectic, hybrid dramaturgy that mixes music theatre, performance art, gospel service and African ritual forms is political and conceptual: a rejection of any dominant cultural notion of what theatre should be, and an opening of theatrical space to make room for the rich voices clamouring from the margins.

/ PRODUCTION /

DIRECTOR: Brett Bailey
COMPOSER / MUSIC: Shane Cooper
STAGE DESIGN: Brett Bailey
COSTUME DESIGN: Brett Bailey
TEXT: Brett Bailey
MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Shane Cooper
(LIVE-)VIDEO: Kirsti Cumming
PROJECTION DESIGN: Tanya P Johnnsson
LIGHTING DESIGN: Kobus Rossouw
CHOREOGRAPHER: Elvis Sibeko

DATE OF FIRST PERFORMANCE: Friday, March 8, 2019