Title: Mercy
Written and directed by: Zubayr Charles
Performed by: Ibtisaam Florence, Jennifer Morris, Masnoena Leggett, Amaan Van Oordt and Vuyokazi Bulu
Dates of performance: 30 June – 3 July 2023
Venue: The Theatre Arts, Observatory
Kaashiefa (played by Ibtisaam) has been diagnosed with dementia and after taking care of her for years, her children decide to have her admitted to an old age home, where her daily life becomes entangled with that of the nurse, Mercy Kilane’s (played by Jennifer).
Kaashiefa silently struggles to come to terms with being placed at the home while fighting the dementia “demons” that are robbing her of her intimate relationship with Allah (God). Nurse Mercy becomes attached to Aunty Kaashiefa, whose mind goes “in and out of reality”. While smiling and being helpful, Mercy, on the other hand, struggles with a family history of schizophrenia.
Then, one day, both have manic episodes. Kaashiefa encounters ephemerality, remembering painful memories of her past, and during such an episode she makes an extreme request to Mercy which leads to Mercy’s reliving the death of her mom.
The play skilfully captured the languages that connect Cape Town, as Kaaps sways with Arabic together with English, while flirting with Xhosa, allowing people from different backgrounds (cultures) to enjoy the play.
Theolla Langenhoven (1982) werk tans by die Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland na jare in die staatsdiens. Sy wil haar skryfwerk gebruik om haar gemeenskapswerk, haar liefde vir administrasie en haar kennis van sielkunde en kriminologie te kombineer en lig te werp op die maatskaplike kwessies wat gemeenskappe in die gesig staar. Van haar kortverhale en artikels is in Kuier gepubliseer. Haar gedigte het in die Lekka Poems-bloemlesing verskyn en in 2023 het sy ’n gebedsboek vir tieners, Die Here kom sterk deur, gepubliseer. Sy beskou dit as ’n voorreg om in 2020 te kon deelneem aan die Kommadagga-slypskool vir kortverhaalskrywers. In 2023 het sy ’n AfriCAN Honoree Authors’ Award ontvang.
Zubayr Charles grew up in the picture-postcard neighbourhood of the Bo-Kaap. He teaches English First Language at the Good Hope Seminary High School and coordinates the school's drama club. At the same time, he is busy with his master's degree in creative writing at UCT. 'I write short stories, but I also consider myself a poet and playwright. In 2019 I showcased my first play dealing with gender-based violence The Battered Housewives' Club.' Zubayr is in the process of self-publishing an anthology of poems on the topic of the gentrification of the Bo-Kaap. Zubayr was hesitant about submitting his work to the Kommadagga panel. 'I have learnt that reading is subjective and people can either really like or dislike one's writing. So, I wasn't sure how the panellists would respond to my submission. When I received the good news, it was humbling because, although I have grown more confident in my writing, I wasn't sure about the reaction I would receive.' The short story he submitted deals with many of the taboos that millennials in Cape Town struggle with and that older and more conservative generations may not necessarily warm towards. 'I feel extremely honoured to be part of this programme and I hope to improve my writing in order to continue sharing the stories of the marginalised in the Cape Town of today.'
