There are different forms of theatre-making the world over, from the grand spectacle of pantomime to the elemental stylings of Jerzy Grotowski’s ‘Poor Theatre’, with many existing in between. The newly formed Pula! Playback Theatre Company is on a mission to show that this live artform is more than just an entertaining pastime. On the eve of Valentine’s Day this year, the outfit will present ‘Love, Loved, Loving’, a performance featuring stories about love in all its forms.
Presented in collaboration with Maru-a-Pula School, ‘Love, Loved, Loving’ will be the company’s inaugural public exhibition since its founding. Speaking about the group, they describe themselves as a collective focused on feeling, elaborating: “We use our skill sets of body, heart and mind to hold space for various stories and do our best to play them back to the teller. To show them we see them, to show them themself. And it is always done with compassion and care.” Unlike scripted theatrical work, playback theatre is akin to improvisation. However, the core principle of its execution is that the actors, called players, build their performances based on stories told to them by members of the audience.
The company comprises Anah Moorad, Gaby Kalayamotho, Kgosi Tau-Bantsi, Lauri Kubuitsile, May Alpajora, Nick Ram, and Kyle Fernandes, who will lead audiences through an unpredictable emotional adventure. With single and double tickets going for P60 and P100 respectively, the affair, slated for 18h00 at the Moving Space, offers a welcome alternative to the usual Friday-night outings in Gaborone. “In this showcase, we will hone in on that emotion and listen to the audience’s experience with the feeling — good, bad, romantic, platonic, familial — whatever it is that is drawn from the crowd, we hope to work with it and create some beautiful stories for everyone included,” says the group. They invite audiences to share as much or as little as they want, noting that audience autonomy is always assured.
While Shakespeare penned Romeo and Juliet’s love-related delights and agonies, giving us classic expressions such as: “That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet,” attendees at Pula! Playback Theatre Company’s ‘Love, Loved, Loving’ will be invited to offer and craft their own unique passages. In this case, it will be undeniably true that art will imitate life.
