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Strong lead performances from Michael Luwoye and Danielle Fiamanya can’t cover the weak point within the writing of Mandela on the Young Vic
“No talking politics”
The writing is true on the wall. Mandela – a brand new musical is introduced “in proud partnership with the Mandela family” and such closeness between creators and topic – notably within the realm of biodrama – signifies that the storytelling is straitened, hamstrung by the necessity to please. It’s notably irritating when there’s a lot potential there (qv Tina) however no urge for food to research any of the actual complexities of a life.
Which is all a roundabout approach of claiming that Laiona Michelle’s guide for Mandela is severely missing. There’s a nominal concentrate on his years imprisoned on Robben Island however when it comes to dramatic propulsion, narrative perception or looking out character work, there’s surprisingly little there. Dialogue is decreased to pronouncements and platitudes, politics pushed into the background and any tough edges to characters sanded instantly.
And when one in all your essential characters is Winnie Mandela, that’s an actual problem. But while Mandela is dramatically inert, Greg Dean Borowksy and Shaun Borowsky’s music and Gregory Maqoma’s choreography give it an infinite if intermittent sense of stage presence. Schele Williams’ manufacturing thus brings the vitality when it will possibly, however it’s onerous to not really feel that they’re going for spectacle instead of substance.
The lead performances of Michael Luwoye’s Nelson and Danielle Fiamanya’s Winnie do what they’ll with the fabric, the vocal prowess of each indubitable. And the work of the ensemble shimmers with energy in all its rousing choruses. But it’s all in service of a portrait that, while not fairly hagiographic, does so little or no to ship actual justice to the person behind the parable.
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes (with interval)
Photos: Helen Murray
Mandela is reserving on the Young Vic till 4th February
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