By Yusuf Kosadia-Hassen
Theatre: A Girl Called Owl
7 October at 20:30
HMS Bloemhof Skoolsaal
A suitcase, a few boxes, a blanket, photographs and a notepad. That is all it takes for us to see Olivia grow.
Larissa Crafford-Lazarus plays every role in Jon Keevy’s coming of age story, and the production around her is in constant motion.
Larissa Crafford-Lazarus, who plays Owl, Kay and everyone around them, performed as a piano soloist and danced principal ballet roles while still at school. Of Owl, she says what she loves most is her fearlessness. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/Woordfrees
Set in early-1990s South Africa, Keevy’s play follows ten-year-old Olivia, who moves to a small Overberg town with her policeman father. There she meets Kay, the girl with the scar, who nicknames her “Owl”. As they grow into teenagers, their games turn into risks with real consequences.
Larissa plays Owl, Kay and everyone else in their lives, and the switches are the best part of the evening. Her mannerisms and body language are so complex yet change so chameleonically that you never wonder who is speaking. Her line delivery is excellent, and at times she seemed to be speaking to me alone. The occasional breaks of the fourth wall suit a story that explores this and draws you in.
Larissa Crafford-Lazarus carries A Girl Called Owl alone, playing the quietly curious Olivia, her rebellious friend Kay and the rest of their small town. Before Woordfees, the production received a five-star review at the Vrystaat Kunstefees and played in London. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/Woordfrees
Director, Inge Crafford-Lazarus, makes use of “poor theatre”, the minimalist style I learned about in high school drama class. The handful of props carry the story and the ash used as smoke was a fun touch.
Keevey’s script, while a strong story exploring important themes, felt unnecessarily cliché at times. Despite it being a coming of age story, lines like “smells like home” and “cars soaring” sit awkwardly between such a vivid performance.
The technical side also lets the production down. The venue seemed to have the facilities for more, and so the plain lighting by Jak J. Brits, the lighting director, reads as a stylistic choice. There is a scene where Olivia was swimming in a pool where the blue lights were just a rectangle on the stage. I felt like they could have had a water effect, such as rippling light or washing across the floor.
Larissa Crafford-Lazarus, who plays Owl, Kay and everyone around them, performed as a piano soloist and danced principal ballet roles while still at school. Of Owl, she says what she loves most is her fearlessness. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/Woordfrees
Some sound cues arrived a little late in places and too early in others, for example when the line “to take the edge, off the eyes”, the lag was long enough that I thought I would see any actress become uncomfortable, but Larrissa held character – a truly outstanding performance.
Overall, this is a good one-woman play. Go for the performance, forgive the clichés, and hope the technical side catches up with her.