Review: THE VISIGOTHS is a chilling exploration of abuse at Baxter Masambe Theatre
New premiere from playwright and director Louis Viljoen
No story about abuse is easy to watch or engage with, and writer-director Louis Viljoen doesn't shy away from true depravity of the situation in THE VISIGOTHS. It's a disturbing and chilling dive into how humans can break each other, shatter our psyches into little jagged pieces.
The setting is simple - an old table and chairs that are covered in dust. We're in a place that was a home, but now it's neglected and forgotten - much like the characters inhabiting the space. The two men - Roth played by Nicholas Pauling and Theo played by Daniel Barney Newton - are in black suits that slowly get covered in the same dust. Roth has just got out of prison and come home to bury his mother. Theo is the young man that Roth saved from an abusive situation many years ago. The two haven't seen each other in a decade.
What follows is an unpacking of what happened to Theo and how he was rescued by Roth. Theo is clearly broken and the only thing holding him together is thought of revenge on the one man who got away. He needs Roth to kill this man like he killed the other men who had abused him all those years ago. Roth wants nothing more than to put the whole story behind him and for Theo to not see him as a saviour.
The play ranges through discussions of revenge, of what abuse does to a child and what happens to that child when they grow up. The content is graphic and I applaud the entire team for looking at such a difficult topic in an unblinking way - no sugar coating something that is so raw and real, and that needs to be spoken about in the open more. The abused should never be silenced. The problem I had with this piece though, was that the style of language used felt disconnected from the rawness of the topic. I found that it prevented me from connecting with the characters on a deeper emotional level.
Like I said, THE VISIGOTHS is not easy watching, but it is a strong piece of theatre that tackles an important topic. The production is on at the Masambe Theatre at the Baxter until 24 June. Tickets are available via webtickets and cost R120-R170.
Photo credit: Supplied
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