Play review: Anatomy of a heppy marriage

By Frederick B. Philander

WINDHOEK: I was once again privy to another one of our escalating societal problems, an unworkable marriage due to interferences of a social and material nature aptly emphasized in the one-hour play with the ironic title, Anatomy of a happy Marriage at the Play House Theatre on Thursday, 18 October 2012, evening.

Landy Nangombe – Photo by Clemens Hess at The 99fm Playhouse.

This stage work by film scriptwriter and playwright, Nailoke Mhaanda, and the play Tura Springer, have been part of a bevy of original Namibian plays to be performed in the bi-annual Theatre Zone productions of the National Theatre of Namibia. The mentor of the work was actor and director, David Ndjavera.

This was a good effort by both writer/director Mhaanda and a very enthusiastic cast.  New talents abound.

Memorable was the performance  of Landi Nangombe, as the married woman. She outshined and outclassed everyone else in this production.

I have this good feeling she stands a good chance walking away with the best actress award on Saturday 24 November.

Petrus Thomas, a new face on the acting scene did not disappoint at all in the role of the husband, Ben Williams. His quick agility and interpretation of the role was right on target.

He acted convincingly in most of the scenes he portrayed opposite Lovey Diergaardt as the mother in-law with and uplifting personality. Full marks to Lovey too for her performance as Mama Rose.

Elzaan de Wee as the domestic also played along very well in this witty and sexy housekeeper.

Karen Joy Vries as the friend of Ma Rosa also did well in her cameo role, so did Dawie Engelbrecht as the lawyer with his Val Kilmer look-alike image as well as experienced actor, Romulus Pieterse, doubling as the husband’s friend and the pastor.

In general playwright Nailoke Mhaanda is showing tremendous improvement. Many of her works, since she stepped onto the scene in 2010, have been highly acclaimed, and rightly so.

Two more, hopefully equally exciting new plays are expected to be performed as part of the Theatre Zone competition until the end of this month.

All photos by Clemens Hess.