Love is a finicky drug.
In an intimate exploration of loss, love, and loneliness, i want to write you a submarine is a piece of theatre that combines song and poetry to convey the challenges of finding love in the digital age.
The play is self-produced, directed and written by award-winning South African playwright, Andi Colombo.
Audiences were left wondering just how many times one can be utterly destroyed by love at the play’s first 2023 Toyota SU Woordfees showing at Bloemhof High School on 13 October.
Award-winning South African playwright, Andi Colombo (pictured above), delivers an emotionally charged performance of her self-written, directed and produced play, i want to write you a submarine at the 2023 Toyota SU Woordfees. PHOTO: Supplied/Nardus Engelbrecht
A five-part process
Quite literally centred in the spotlight, Colombo delivers an emotionally wrenching yet witty performance, using poetic discourse to delve into a five-step process that one should take to write their love interests a submarine.
We are fully submerged in Colombo’s grief, raw-emotion, and sense of self-awareness as she reaches into the most personal depths of her own experiences with finding love – and losing it.
Using only her voice, a ukulele, and the flailing wisps of smoke as they mimic murky waters, the hyper-personal piece is framed as an ode to the versions of herself and of others who have experienced the love and loss of heartbreak.
A laughable offence
The five-part process spans just under an hour, captivating audiences with every awkward moment, self-reflective sigh and interactive question. Each humorous step is followed by a story, detailing one of Colombo’s tragic relationship failures.
These failures are cemented by seven self-written songs, each directed toward those who might have wronged Colombo – be it with cheating, lying, or general dissatisfaction.
The self-reflective nature of Colombo’s performance forces viewers to gaze deeply into their own romantic experiences, mishaps and misdemeanors in a uniquely gripping way.
The script is carefully pieced together to deliver a universal sentimentality attached to the concept of what it means to love, aimed at bringing together audiences based on their similar experiences.
Love, loss, and heartbreak are explored in playwright Andi Colombo’s (pictured above) performance of i want to write you a submarine, which showed at the 2023 Toyota SU Woordfees between 13 and 15 October. PHOTO: Supplied/Nardus Engelbrecht
A lasting effect
Dressed in what can only be termed a lemon-esque coloured rain suit, with the accessories to match, the performance, and the memorable outfit choice, stood out starkly against the play’s sparse backdrop, certainly communicating Colombo’s creative brilliance.
She captures the hearts of her audiences by pouring her own out onto the stage.
- i want to write you a submarine is still showing at the 2023 Toyota Woordfees at Bloemhof High on 15 October at 17:30. Purchase your tickets here.
- The show is set to be performed at the Kaapstad Toneelhuis on 24 and 25 October.