Muscadel and Marsala

It’s not so much cultural diversity as adversity. There’s your prayer time at the mosque in Rylands, my sister’s big, white Dutch Reformed wedding in Durbanville and next week our godson is celebrating his bar mitzvah in Camps Bay.

Born and bred in the melting pot that is Cape Town, I get it, I really do. In fact, like most folks in the ‘ubuntu’ capital of the country, I like to believe there’s only revelling and good cheer involved. Frankly speaking, I don’t see the relevance of belabouring the issue any further.

Which is why I’m having a cuppa at the Baxter with the inimitable Basil Appollis of the City Bowl and the super–talented duo of Desert Rose, musos, business and life partners Lynne Holmes–Ganief and Yusuf Ganief of Plattekloof Glen to talk about Silence of the Music, a new musical drama Yusuf describes as groundbreaking.

Set in 2030, it tells the tale of an elderly couple (starring Michelle Maxwell and Fahruq Valley-Omar) whose intercultural/interfaith marriage was spurned in 2010 by their families, friends and broader community. The narration reflects on the multitude of challenges they’ve experienced personally in a post- apartheid South Africa.

"The idea for the production is an extension from our The Awakening concert series that we started in 2008," says Yusuf. "In celebration of common humanity, musicians from different backgrounds were invited to perform. Not only did we end up learning from one another, but also began to convey a message of common humanity to our audiences.

"It proved so successful and popular, that we started looking at other ways of taking this message forward." Hence the unique collaboration, between Lynne, a well–known music composer, producer and creative director and veteran actor, theatre director and scriptwriter Basil.

Less profound than Yusuf, Lynne’s raison d’entre for the musical drama is right on my cue. "Superficial associations with other cultures and faith on a social level are worlds apart from the nitty–gritty of confronting these realities in a personal relationship or one family," she says.

"Believe me, that’s where the bugger–up starts. The challenge for Basil and me was to go about these sensitive and serious issues in a respectful but not a cheesy way. Neither did we want to hit the audience over the head with a guilt stick.

"Which is why I had to wing my way up to clouds and yank Lynne right back to earth and the Cape flats," jokes Basil, then bursts out laughing as the dark–haired composer jostles him, while protesting, "Listen to him laugh, I tell you he’s the very devil.""Ooh", he croons back, "but how I recognise him in your own laughter."

It emerges that the veteran actor provided the earthy and wry yang to Lynne’s esoteric and spiritual and classical yin. Moreover, that the play is as speckled throughout with the unique humour and skilful storytelling that theatre productions in the Cape are known for.

"The ‘vox pops’ are as central as the main characters," continues Basil. "Like a Greek chorus of old, they provide commentary on the banal and ridiculous, a ‘third-eye’ perspective as the drama unfolds on stage.

"It allows both the characters and audience to take a good look at themselves as if staring into a mirror. This is what theatre is all about: stepping outside ourselves for a moment — not only to be entertained but also to be healed. I think we have achieved this and so much more."

Yusuf, who also sings in the production, predicts that the musical will take on a life of its own. "The cast may change and the scripts may be adapted as time goes by, but I can see this musical running on and off for many seasons to come. Each generation has their own stories to tell and music to play."

Original score
East meets West with strings and tabla, Spanish guitar and African rhythms. There is something for the classical lover as well as indigenous and popular music lovers. The music ranges from classical opera and haunting Gregorian chants to the soulful bliss of a Sufi prayer accompanied by Flamenco guitar and Indian tabla, from a beautiful love ballad to the dramatic and daunting sounds of a Sangoma’s premonition.

Visit www.desertrosemusic.co.za

Silence of the Music is on from 22 September to 3 October at the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch. Mon — Fri at 8pm, Sat & Sun at 5pm. Tickets R120 available through Computicket, Shoprite or Checkers.