(TW: mentions of sexual assault, murder, and death by sickness)
An all female prison, the middle of Apartheid, innocence taken and the ultimate need for friendship. This is what you’ll find while watching Sacred Heart College’s Barred.
Set in a women’s prison during Apartheid, we find ourselves watching the stories of a couple of inmates, fighting for their survival, and yet, so desperately seeking the kindness of one another. We meet our main characters, Karabo and Thato. Karabo is the life of the party, and Thato is six months pregnant.
Very early on, a new character is introduced; Steph, the only White woman in the prison. It’s her first time being incarcerated, and the racial tension is ever present. The other women don’t go easy on Steph, no matter how hard she tries to make friends. Karabo is in a relationship with Thato, but this doesn’t stop her from becoming familiar with Steph, going as far as giving Steph her hat as a welcome gift. Thato, of course, is not a big fan.
Overtime we see the characters unravel as Steph navigates this foreign environment. This is where comradery comes in: Mamzo, another inmate, becomes a lovable mother figure for Steph. They form the friendship they both require. Karabo continues her friendship with Steph, being a natural flirt, despite still being heavily involved with Thato.
At this point, we get to know a bit more about Thato. She worked as a domestic worker and was r*ped by her employer. Once his wife found out, she took her to the police. We see Thato’s character unravel, we feel the pain she felt and her innocence ripped from her hands. The only good thing that came from her incarceration is Karabo, who goes to every check-up with her and swears to love the baby like her own. Karabo even explodes with excitement with every baby kick. But, Thato feels like Steph is tearing all the good out of her life, and given her history, we can understand why.
The play uses song and dance in incredible ways, highlighting the highs and lows of the plot. Not only are we treated to the most beautiful musical performances; These kids can act! Every actor on that stage wowed the audience with their talents, and it is immediately clear that they have all spent months preparing for these roles. They were incredibly convincing. I felt like I was watching a documentary of real inmates. There’s a reason why Ayanda Lengwasa won the award for Best Actor in a Female Role for playing Karabo, an award she deservedly earned.
The play itself shows us how much young performers can achieve. It was brilliantly written, with deep and meaningful plotlines that mirror the struggles of real inmates during Apartheid. Although most of us cannot relate to the lives of prisoners, each character is extremely human, and it’s difficult not to emphasise with them. The director, script-writer, and producer all deserve praise for their outstanding work on a production that reaches such professional and profound levels.
As we reach the end of the play, we are faced with a twist that left me in a puddle of tears. Mamzo is sick throughout the play, and during a very meaningful conversation with Steph, she has a coughing fit, and Steph cries out for help. Thato walks in to see Steph kneeling over a slowly dying Mamzo, and assumes Steph did something. In a fit of impulse, Thato murders Steph.
The funeral scene that followed was incredibly saddening. Accompanied with a harmonious funeral song, we watch as Karabo mourns the loss of two women she loved, screaming, sobbing and unconsolable by those around her, while Karabo stands in the background in handcuffs. We watch as Karabo places her trademark hat, and Mamzo’s trademark scarf, on two graves, side by side. At this point, my vision was so blurred by tears I couldn’t see anymore.
Hearts broken, eyes wet, and minds dazed, we gave Barred an ever deserving standing ovation. All I could think was “My God, how I love theatre.”
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