(TW: Mentions of Death by Smoke Inhalation)
Spoiler Alert! This was my favourite play of the evening, so you can imagine my excitement when they won Best Production - an award they worked tirelessly for. During an evening where heavy themes of xenophobia, homophobia, and domestic violence (and so much more) are explored, you wouldn’t expect to cry the hardest during a play about firemen. And yet, that’s exactly what happened.
The beginning of the play is eerie and intense, with a recording playing of news reporters covering the deaths of firemen. Two firemen then emerge: Captain Mkonto and Simphiwe. They tell us their stories about why and how they became firemen, with a soft humming
coming from backstage. Then, eight firemen come out marching and singing. Choreographed expertly, the atmosphere was weighed down with the percussion of the marching.
This was instantly contrasted by the next scene; A couple of firefighters rescuing a cat from a tree. And from here until the play’s end, I could not stop laughing. The whole play was a treat to watch, a relief from the darker and heavier plays we had watched before. Each character was well-defined and hilarious in their own way.
In this fire brigade there are two shifts, Shift A and B. Shift A graces the stage for a short time (rescuing cats), and then we are introduced to the main players of the night - Shift B. From the start, it becomes clear that they are the more experienced shift, and far more confident. Captain Mkonto is firm
and assertive, and gets the job done: “We are the South African Firefighters. We love what we do, and we’re very passionate about our job”- a quote from Mkonto that was repeated throughout the whole play, but not as much as his comical “Very good!” response, that he was begged to repeat during the award ceremony.
The audience watches these firemen work out during an 80s -esque montage, drive their wire “fire truck” as if it were big as the room, and the most hysterical news report, complete with a sign interpreter that would make our very own Thamsanqa Jantjie proud. I laughed so hard until I cried, and so did everyone else. Perfectly timed one-liners and the perfect continuity of jokes made the play feel like it was written by a Broadway professional, while the actual theatre made it feel as if we were watching a critically acclaimed masterpiece. Every single element was thought out, every small detail. It was truly art at its finest.
The use of mime and vocals was in line with that of Woza Albert! and the boys impressed me time and time again with what they could achieve and create with the little they had. It’s not an easy feat using a couple of ladders as a firetruck, a handwashing station, a couch, a gym, and so much more - including actual ladders! This goes for all of their props.
All good must come to an end and we eventually had to get to the climax of the story. Through a blaze of smoke and orange and red lighting, our firefighters find themselves in a burning basement. We watch a cinematic scene, with dramatic music and moves the firefighters have used countless times in the play. We as the audience understand that everything we have watched so far has brought these men to this moment- this is what they trained for. The men fight the fire as best as they can, but unfortunately, two of our soldiers fall, dying of smoke inhalation. Captain Mkonto, and Simphiwe - two characters we loved at this point, did what they said they had to at the beginning, wrenching our hearts out of our chests.
What an honour it was to watch this play. These young men deserve all their awards thoroughly.
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