LYDIA GITACHU DIRECTS & COSTARS IN RELATIVE STRANGERS AT PHOENIX THEATRE

Lydia Gitachu as the besotted housewife Johanna berates her long-suffering husband George (Harry Ebale) in Phoenix Players' latest production, Relative Strangers through May 18 including Sunday shows at 6pm and on the 18th, there will be 3pm and 6pm shows.

RELATIVE STRANGERS AND INTIMATE FRIENDS POPULATE THEATRE SCENE THIS WEEKEND

BY Margaretta wa Gacheru. Published in Business Daily May 9^th, 2014

Lydia Gitachu showed her stuff last weekend when she not only directed but also co-starred with Harry Ebale in Phoenix Players’ adaptation of Trevor Cowper’s Relative Strangers at Professional Centre through May 18^th.

Portraying the alcoholic housewife — the kind American feminist Betty Friedan wrote about in The Feminine Mystique several decades ago, namely a highly intelligent and well-educated female who’s  domesticated, and thus frustrated and unfulfilled – Lydia’s Johanna is besotted and basically out of control. It doesn’t help that her husband George (Ebale) has neglected their conjugal relations for many months, making her feel unwanted, unloved and even more unfulfilled. 

Angry all the time until her long-suffering but successful architect spouse arranges a job interview for her with one of his clients, Johanna only sobers up after she regains her self-confidence by proving herself successful on the job as an interior designer.

 Winnie Kamau as Fiona shows her mother Johanna with secretary Sarah looking on. pix by margaretta

But sobriety doesn’t ensue before Johanna nearly destroys her marriage and family with alcohol and outrage vented on both George and her teenage daughter Fiona (Winnie Kamau).

George is faithful and forgiving until his friend and business partner Philip (Lenana Kariba) recommends he have an affair, claiming it would be good for his health and his home relations as well.

George contemplates the advice just as Gina, an attractive journalist (Melissa Kiplagat) walks into his life. Her interview with him paves the way for a hot and heavy affair which George relishes up until the moment when Gina gets possessive, demanding and pushy, becoming yet another hostile and aggressive female.

His life gets even more complicated when his dutiful and dedicated secretary Sarah (Laura Ekumbo) arrives after business hours while Johanna has spent weeks away for her new job. Sarah like Gina wants a piece of George. Or rather she wants all of him since she has served as a sort of surrogate wife (cleaning and cooking for him) all the time that Johanna has been away.

George has enjoyed playing the sexy Casanova, but once he discovers there are unforeseen consequences to what looks practically like polygamy, he can’t quite cope with three demanding women at once.

The climax of the play comes when Johanna arrives back home, only to find both Gina and Sarah having ‘the hots’ for George. I won’t be a spoiler and tell how the story ends. Suffice it to say, the ‘senior wife’ has sobered up and sees plainly what’s happened ‘while the cat’s away.’ She’s not impressed. Nor does she still fulfill the stereotype of the frustrated, unfulfilled housewife, so please go see Lydia and whole cast for yourself.

Melissa kiplagat as Gina with Harry ebale as george and lydia gitachu as Johanna Phoenix Theatre

Relative Strangers is really an ensemble piece with all the actors giving polished, well-proportioned performances. However, one has to hand it to Ms. Gitachu  whose character’s drunken rant in the first act is excruciatingly funny, especially when she jumps onto George and tries to inflict domestic rape on her man. He’s overwhelmed with sleep, having swallowed several sleeping pills, but she is desperate to break through what she takes as his indifference and tries to rekindle the love that seems to be lost.

Ultimately, George is left alone with only his daughter who tells him straight what he actually needs to know, that he’s been reckless, careless and thoroughly self-centered. But she loves him all the same, and that’s ultimately the underlying message of the play.

Meanwhile, over at Alliance Francaise, Heartstrings Kenya is currently staging Bridegroom for Sale through May 11^th. Directed by Prince Sammy Mwangi whose shows are slightly formulaic, Heartstrings’ fans nonetheless don’t mind in the least since they know for sure that the cast is going to make them laugh.

Mwangi has a knack for loosely scripting comedies that invariably make a running political commentary on the social issues of the hour. Mixing Sheng and English with references that are common currency in the Kenyan public psyche, Mwangi’s scripts always leave plenty of room for his clever cast to improvise, thus ensuring that every performance is fresh and new, even to the performing artists themselves.

Finally, Sitawa Namwalie has brought back Silence is a Woman this weekend from 7pm at the Goethe Institute. Featuring the same cast and set of musicians that made such a powerful impression when they performed at Shifteye Gallery a bit more than a month ago, Silence is a Woman was given new life under the direction of Alice Karunditu who has drawn the musicians into the poetic mix most effectively. All give a powerful performance which I recommend you go and see.