I joined this class a week late, so I had the experience of seeing portions of Woza Albert! via videotape before reading the play. Thus, I had the unique opportunity to experience the energy of Percy Mtwa and Mbongeni Ngena visually and was then able to transport it to the written page.
I'd like to first comment on the energy that I and most of the class felt during the video and where it came from. I believe the energy was stemming from the anger and frustration that comes with being forced to reduce one's worth to practically nothing. It comes from the emotional explosion that occurs after realizing that one has been wromgly oppressed. People oppressed for long periods of time may also often have found that the only way to be heard is to be loud and energetic.
The images that I saw in the video and that were apparent in the reading
through explained hand gestures, comments, insults and events, such
as the prisoners' undignified inspection in scene two, were sometimes crude.
But this crudeness, I believe, is appropriate and essential in making the
audience or reader understand how hard it was to be a black man in a white
man's South Africa. So, perhaps the performance was vulgar at times,
but so is the way they were treated. To censor it would be to
perform a half-baked play.
The first scene set the stage for the rest of the play. If you
are a black man in South Africa, you are only worth as much as your pass
book says you are. An unsatisfactory pass book results in a visit
to
prison. What low self-worth they must have had.
The theme of self-worth continues throughout the play. The low
self worth is brought upon the Africans by the white oppressors so powerfully
that when asked by the invisible interviewer what they would ask of Morena
they humbly asked for very little. They believed they could only
reach their goals (which seem easily attainable to us) if God himself came
to earth. The meat vendor wanted only for Morena to provide him with
cusotmers and schooling. Auntie Dudu wanted only for better trash
to eat.
The barber asked only for a barbershop, but would never consider applying
for one himself because he believes he is not worth it and furthermore,
believes the whole process is not worth it : all gains made by the people
would only be quickly taken away again by the government or the police.
The minds of the people are cemented into believing they have no worth.
They feel hopeless and helpless.
Morena is the first to bring hope. Percy and Mbongeni throw out their passbooks as they realize their potential to be recognizable faces, not just numbers on paper. Yet even Morena, the Almighty God cannot conquer the Almighty White Man it seems. Christianity, once imposed on the Africans, now becomes a threat that results in being fired from a job.
It is no wonder where the energy from Woza Albert! comes from. It is
in the need to express their worth. It is in the need to show people
the injustices that occurred. It is in the desire to move people
into action or at least thoughtful insight into our own views.
First of all, I would like to make some comments about the
materials of Woza Albert. I think it was wonderful that we have a
chance
to watch the movie after I have read the book. The movie has brought
life
into the play. When I read the book I did not have very strong feeling
about the whole story. To me, it was just a very simple play, but
Percy
and Mbongeni have truly been talented artists. With very limited
of
technical setting, they have captured and expressed the true and completed
images of life in South Africa during that time which I could never able
see through reading.
In my opinion, Woza Albert may have referred to the Albert
street
in South Africa where poor people would go to apply for pass-books,
and
where most young to old men would stand everyday to wait for any white
man
comes to offer them a little ripped-off job. Their message may have
tried
to tell those people at Albert street to rise up, not necessarily to start
a revolution but at least just stand up for themselves and for their
families. As we scholars all know that South Africa should belong
to
South African. The other nations have no right to come in, take their
lands and control their government. The Prime Minister was a puppet
to
the European whom have come in South Africa, pretending that they were
helping these poor people but actually all they did were sucking these
poor Africans blood and lives. They just repeated the same crime
like
they did with the American Indian. They invaded the land of the Indian,
then kept pushing these native peoples to a content area and later
announced that the land belonged to them. That is incredibly ridiculous
and sad.
During that time, the South African had no way to save themselves.
The only person that they can count on is Morena. Therefore, in the
play
they imagined what would happen if Morena see South Africa? The South
African were really tired of living so they even asked Morena to bring
them up to heaven.
To be honest, I could not understand when Morena appeared on the
last scene. Should Morena be imaginative?
It was so sad when they should us the poor children with
mal-nutrient and that many of them died because of no food. Think
about
it, the whole message of play was only about people tried to survive.
They work hard just to have a piece of food into their stomach, but yet
in
the same country, at sun-city where all the luxurious comforts can be
accommodated.
The part when they showed Morena is being imprisoned, I think that
what they were trying to say is that yes, the country is Christian but
when come to power and money, the government will not respect or leave
anyone out even Morena!
While I was reading the story, I think of the moment when I drink
my purified water, there are millions of other who are at the same age
as
I am, have to drink dirty water from the streams or rivers. It is
very
sad.
I think my paper is so long but i hope that I can get some feed-back from you all. Thank you for reading my opinion! take care! bye!
"Woza Albert!" is a fun play that can be comprehended on many different levels. It combines a harshness with childlike optimism, and good-natured humor with sarcasm. Something that makes the play so successful is that there are so many characters, people who, according to the documentary we viewed Sept. 2 represent "the soul of the people." The use of many characters seems to be a way that Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngema and Barney Simon rebel against stereotypes. The real characters effectively remind the audience that individuality exists among all peoples, and that oppression does not change this fact. But because these characters are all played by only two people, the similarities among people are also acknowledged. Sound effects in the script can also be used to relate different experiences together. This seems to apply to "Woza Albert!." particularly on page 10 when "Mbongeni pushes Percy forward on the floor. Percy goes down with a scream that becomes a siren." I think that passage shows how the sirens were related to the scream of the tortured or oppressed. Changes in the lives of the main characters are sometimes marked by the sound of trains, particularly when new beginnings are involved. For example, again on page 10, trains sounded as a transition to the coal-vendors scene. Mbongeni and Percy's lives also changed at that point in the plot--they were jailed and they met each other. This sound effect is very effective because it is both a practical transition and a good abstract ont (trains are usually associated with movement.) Another instance trains sound in on page 35, when the black workers threw down their passes to follow "Morena." Another interesting effect is the clown noses. Naturally, it is a practical effect. The audience can see when they are other characters by thier noses. But also, perhaps, it has a symbolic meaning. What could the clowns represent? Are the characters clowns for Morena? Clowns because they sometimes take themselves seriously? Or because they allow themselves to be optimistic? Or could they be clowns for the entire world? Clowns are people to play with and people to make fun of. Clowns could be people who must also make fun of themselves. Maybe they are clowns because they have hope. Their dreams cannot be entirely dismissed. Something that might support this view is on page 30. Each time Mbongeni or Percy shows any hope or optimism about being hired, the other makes fun of him. Another point that I think shows through the narrative is the frustrating helplessness the authors, and the people they intend to represent, feel. For example, when the reporter asks Auntie Dudu about what would happen if Morena came, she says it would be good because she would get more leftovers. She doesn't even consider the possibility of her station in life improving so much that she wouldn't have to scavenge for food at all! The musician and the coal-vendors, for instance, are even offended by the question--so offended that make rude gestures and say obscene things in response! The question the reporter asks hurts them! I think this could be the effect of "a dream deferred." ("Raisin in the Sun") The dream of justice, I think, has been put off for so long even considering the idea hurts. When Mbongeni tries to reason with or talk back to his boss, his efforts are futile. In fact, he is betrayed by someone he trusts, his own co-worker. Even his only hope, Morena, is betrayed by this co-worker. Even later, when the helicopter patrol is notified that it must bomb Morena, it is obvious they do not want to do it. They even plead for him. "He is not even disturbing the waves," one protests. But even though they do not want to, they bomb him anyway. This implies that they do not feel they have a choice. They must not feel they have free will. Only the meat boy is not offended by the journalist's question. He is allowed to dream, because he is still young. Perhaps he is also still innocent. He has not yet been "enlightened" by all of the harsh realities of life, and by waiting for fairness that never comes. But even he is rebellious. "We ate and finished a big sheep the other day,/Where were you when we blessed ourselves with a sheep?" he sings. This theme of disappointment and disillusionment is supported and carried through the entire play. Even the hated Prime Minister shows how South Africa's pride has been hurt when he gloats, "Morena is back and South Africa's got him! I hope that the free world will sit up and notice whose bread is buttered and where!...And to those who spread such vicious rumors I can only say, 'Tough luck friends! He chose us!'" This shows the jealousy that existed in South Africa because "news" was what happened elsewhere, not in South Africa. And if Morena came maybe people would pay attention. A telling sign is the old man, who shows contempt for the Prime Minister. He says that if Morena came he would be betrayed by the Prime Minister the was Piet Retief was betrayed by Dingane. It is apparent he feels disgusted by unethical people who must trick other people into unfair situations so that they may kill them because the trusting people are superior, and therefore threatening. On page 36 the narrative again shows optimism ending in pessimism. Even if Morena started to make a difference, Mbongeni indicates, things would end up the same or even worse. "What good is false hope?" he seems to say. But on page 60, Mbongeni falls, despite himself, into the trap of allowing himself to wish. This passages clearly expresses that people's dreams are not completely repressible, after all. Naturally, Mbongeni is bitter. He mentions Mangobe, Gas=tsha and Matanzima, leaders who "sold out" the people they represented. These people were corrupted, their people disillusioned. The leaders who did not sell them out were murdered, leading to even more depression in their souls. Mbongeni and the grandfather figure both show heavy disappointment. Both show evidence of repressed spirits, wishes help in tight rein. So many of the people who could have helped them didn't. Mbongeni even doubts Morena after he has arrived. "Cell number six! You've got all the power! How can you let these things happen? How can you just sit there like that, Morena?...I'm getting bladdy disappointed. How long must we wait for you to do something? Morena, I must tell you, I'm among those who have stopped waiting...." Morena doesn't answer. Maybe he doesn't hear. Perhaps the powers of the authors' world never heard their people's cries of frustration, either. But the book ends on what I believe to be a tentatively optimistic note. Morena raises people who were strong leaders. These leaders, Albert Luthuli, Robert Sobukwe, Bram Fischer, Lilian Ngoyi, Steve Biko and Ruth First, were all so respected that they were considered threats and killed. Morena and Mbongeni even the odds by making them fair. They revive leaders who were killed because of corruption. Like Piet Retief, all were killed when they had no weapons and no supporters, by people with many men. The reason this is only tentatively optimistic is that it is unlikely that Morena would come down and revive all the clack heroes. However, I feel the ending it optimistic because it has a positive symbolic connotation. The two actors call for "the bones of the dead to join together." I think the play calls for blacks in South Africa to rise up and free themselves. It calls for people to represent themselves, to stand up for each other and refuse to be put down. It asks people to allow themselves to dream.
Woza Albert! portrays a strong message to all Black South Africans that they should "rise up" against apartheid. The play takes a definite political viewpoint on the side of the ANC which is shown by its realistic portrayal of pooor and exploited Africans under the domination of apartheid. The authors' support of the ANC is also confirmed by the names of the people that Morena raises from the dead at the end of the play including Albert Luthuli, Robert Sobukwe, Ruth First, and others. The play gives hope to Black South Africans, which is the audience it was originally intented to be for. First performed in 1981, Woza Albert! was created at a time when political unrest and mass violence was just hitting a new peak in South Africa. I think that strength is a major theme in this play. The strength of the people is what will eventually free themselves from White oppression. The last scene is crucial in this play because all of the people that are raised from the dead are highly political figures that Black South Africans regarded as saviors and redeemers for the Africans. This scene is crucial because the authors' are telling people that they must now be the ones to continue the struggle and rise up against apartheid themselves. Zuluboy is a symbol of a powerful common man who can command the lead of his peers, talks back to his boss, and helps Morena escape from jail. The most obvious aspect of the play that conveyed the message of the power of the people was the way that it was performed. Percy and Mgongeni are boh vocally and physically strong men which is clearly shown in their performances. This enhances their message that the Africans should come together to fight oppression and leaves the audience excited and encouraged to do so. The part of the play that confused me somewhat was the portrayal of Morena. I believe that Morena, if looked at in a positive realm like a deliverer of the people from bondage, could be a metaphor for Mandela. Yet, many parts of the play include scenes that make fun of the idea of Morena, like he is a puppet of the White government. In scene fifteen, Morena is mistakenly spotted by Mgongeni and the man he thimks is Morena is White, as shown on page 28. In the end of the play in scene twenty-six, Morena is Black. Is Morena White or Black? Maybe he is shown in both races to reflect the Africans' varying beliefs in Christianity. The most important theme of this play is that the people hold the power of their destinies, and with some faith in themselves, they will acheive their goal, freedom from apartheid. Percy and Mgongeni are perfect actors to deliver this message to their people. They combine music, languages, humor, and drama to create a piece of art as well as support a revolution.
Thank you for sending your opinion, Daisy. I agree with you about the effects of the documentary. Both actors were very good and did indeed give life to the play. The acting really gave me a sense of how they viewed the people of South Africa at that time. The writers seemed to do a very good job of representing the "soul" of the blacks in South Africa. After thinking about it, I think you are correct also in thinking the authors meant "Rise Up, Albert [Street]" by the title. But I think that the reason Morena was in the last scene reviving people was a symbolic cry for the blacks in South Africa to revive themselves, and not to let themselves be viewed as helpless. When the actors call for "the bones of the dead to join together," they are calling for people with the spirits of those dead leaders to take their own initiatives. They are saying that the only way to win is to stick together and not let themselves be victimized anymore. I think Morena is symbolic, and that he is found only in the spirits and dreams of the people.