Review: The Peculiar Genius of Mmakgosi Kgabi

When you legitimately start to question the performer's sanity, you know you've arrived at the best kind of avant-garde theatre!

Mmakgosi Kgabi delivered a brilliant performance in Shades of a Queen, the story of a woman who can't leave her house- a metaphorical representation of being stuck in the proverbial queer closet.

Before the house lights even went down (or my guest showed up) Kgabi was out in the cramped audience space singing in bright orange stilettos and a cape, effectively blowing my reviewer cover.

Mmakgosi eventually returned to her set, filled with overturned furniture, where we learned that she wants to go to the theatre- a task easier said than done.

Mmakgosi, which means "mother of the chief," was "the Queen" complete with a head-wrap crown and a compulsive use of the word "dah-ling." However, instead of exhibiting the wide range of freedom a queen usually enjoys, Kgabi locked the audience in with her in a prison of her own making. Yet, it was still hilarious and wonderful.

We got to see the Queen dance and lip-synch to her own self-made music, propose to her girlfriend on WhatsApp, project her image onto a projection screen while channeling through a creepy puppet, talk to furniture and request copious amounts of advice about how to talk to furniture.

WhatsApp became the core around which the trajectory of the show revolved. What at first seemed like lightheartedly odd phone calls to friends turns out to be the excuse of choice to avoid "going to the theatre."

Finally -after the queen's mother confirmed that Mmakgosi is indeed great, cherished and loved in a WhatsApp phone call- Mmakgosi gained the strength to accept herself, re-don her cape, and head out into the world.

Photo Credit: Thomas Aurin