We Were There: The Suit

It was a windy night in the big city last Saturday night when we made our way into the Harvey BAM Theatre to see The Suit. As we took our seats and settled in, the lights dimmed, and in no time we were transported to a village in South Africa. We are introduced to Philemon and his wife, Matilda. The stage decorated with clothing racks and colorful chairs, everything seemingly in its place. Throughout we learn that these set pieces double as all sorts of things, windows, doors, a bed, an outhouse, and even a bus at one point. A small band made up of a trumpet, acoustic guitar, and an accordion/keyboard player sits on stage, accenting the story as it goes along. This show had our imagination on the edge of its seat from the very beginning.

The story centers on the couple played by William Nadylam (Philomen) and Nonhlanhla Kheswa (Matilda). A story that could only happen in countries like South Africa, Philomen adores his wife and treats her like a queen, serving her breakfast in bed before he leaves for work, he calls her his “daily morning miracle.” It isn’t until he returns that he catches his wife in the bed with another man. He surprises them, and the man runs away in his underwear leaving behind his suit. Philomen is so upset that he creates his revenge and makes his wife keep the suit and treat it as though it is a person, a guest in their home. She must feed it, take it for walks, and put it to sleep, so she never forgets the sin of adultery she committed. Helping to narrate and create the space were two fantastic actors, Jared McNeill and Rikki Henry, who switched in and out of many different characters effortlessly.

The story centered around adultery but so much more happens. The setting, the township of Sophiatown, even takes on a life of its own, so although you never really see it, you feel it. The music played a big part as well. Kheswa has a silky voice that spun around beautifully as she sang “Feelin’ Good” and McNeill sang a stirring rendition of “Strange Fruit” that made tears drop. Everything just flowed. The band eventually became characters in the story, as well as audience members, who served for quite a few laughs. This show directed by Peter Brook was easily one of the best pieces of theatre ever seen. As much as we want to tell you everything, it will never compare to seeing it. The show closes Feb 2nd.