MUMBI KAIGWA & CO. SERVE 'DINNER THEATRE' AT WESTHOUSE HOTEL

Dinner theatre concept opens new opportunities for thespians

“Missed Connections” cast (Left to right) Djorf, Kaz, Renaud, Katy, Steve, Mumbi and Gakunju Kaigwa. Photo/MARGARETTA wa GACHERU 

By Margaretta wa Gacheru

Posted  Thursday, June 5  2014 at  19:32

In Summary

• Missed Connection combined comedy and drama to reveal how easily opportunities can be lost and sometimes found again.

Mumbi Kaigwa was back in full force last Thursday night performing together with her brother, Gakunju, and a team of talented actors, most of whom came from the International School of Kenya, apart from Kaz Lucas and Steve Murua.

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• Dinner theatre concept opens new opportunities for thespians

The production, entitled Missed Connections featured five short plays and was staged in between dinner courses at the Westhouse Hotel.

The celebrated Kenyan actress began performing short plays known as Fire by Ten while still working with The Theatre Company, the troupe she founded in 2000.

But it wasn’t until she began brainstorming with another professional actress Katy Bingham that the two decided to do a dinner theatre show at the former 1 Degree South Hotel.

Produced by the Art Canvas and Bintis in the Woods, both of which are Mumbi’s cultural brands, Missed Connection combined comedy and drama to reveal how easily opportunities can be lost and sometimes found again, as was the case with the comedic version of The Story of Cinderella which caps off the five-script show.

The first short play, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rain by American playwright Will Eno, was also comedic although ironically, both characters (Renaud Gautier and Katy Bingham) implicitly conveyed a sense of loneliness and isolation that they clearly hoped to change.

Each was in his/her own private world separately shooting a match-making videos. Speaking to some anonymous person whom they hoped would be Mr or Ms Right, they both self-consciously tell stories about themselves.

There is definitely an undercurrent of pathos running through Rain, which both Renaud and Katy convey; yet their awkwardness is also amusing and endearing as most of us have had moments when we have tried too hard to be honest and open, yet it all seemed slightly contrived and ultimately unconvincing.

The comedic spirit spilt over into Mumbi’s solo performance of Eco’s Enter the Spokeswoman, Gently. She may not have meant to be funny, especially as her character had been commissioned to speak to families whose loved ones were missing due to the disappearance of their airplane.

But again her character was trying to be sincere and empathetic, but she kept putting her foot in her mouth. That’s where the audience found humour in a story about death.

Near the end of her performance, Mumbi’s character finally woke her audience to the gravity of what she meant to say. Talking about the inevitability of death, she finally knocked the theatrical “ball” out of the ballpark, opening up a conversation about the mortal nature of human life.

4am (Open all night) was another gem as it portrayed possibly the most clear-cut example of a “missed connection”. The scene is an all-night diner where characters like those played by Djorf Amirouche, Kaz Lucas and Gakunju Kaigwa come for “coffee and a burger” at 4am to be served by Steve Murua’s wise waiter.

Djorf’s rant about his domineering “wife” elicits sympathy from the waiter and Gakunja who end up playing matchmakers who try to bring together another attractive night owl (Kaz Lucas) with Djorf.

It doesn’t work and the two who almost connect go their separate ways, not knowing if indeed they were made for one another or not.

The fourth short play was for me the emotional high point of the night. Early Blight by Jean McConnell was billed as a “heartbreaking”‘ tale of a disabled mother (Mumbi Kaigwa) and dutiful daughter (Katy Bingham) who’s just made a discovery that’s left her so disillusioned with her mother that she ultimately decides to walk away from the old woman, a move one can hardly blame the daughter for.
 Accidentally breaking a family heirloom, Jean found 40-year-old letters from her former fiancé whom the mother had hidden all those years.

Obviously aimed at ensuring her child never marries and moves out on her, the daughter is devastated by her loss. But it’s the painful agony of the mother’s plea not to be left alone in her declining years that is heart-wrenching.

I totally sympathised with the daughter but Mumbi’s portrayal of the decrepit old woman was more than touching. It was a powerful cry of an entire culture where loneliness is so widespread, it’s a national tragedy.

Westhouse’s chocolate mousse dessert was delicious but even more so was the dinner theatre which we hope we’ll see more of in days to come.

Meanwhile, Friday evening will be the premiere performance of Seth Busolo’s newest script. For the troupe that he and his wife Daisy founded, Wholesome Entertainment, they will stage City Dads and the Women who love Them at Alliance Francaise.

In time for Father’s Day, Benjamin Webi, Michael Oyier and Steve Katingima will star in the interactive musical production that runs throughout the weekend.

Friday night, the Sigana International Storytelling Festival opens outside Kenya National Theatre.

Finally, Hate by Shakespeare scripted by Robin Denault is being staged as Chamber Theatre next Friday night at PAWA254 with a star-studded Kenyan cast. Saturday night it will also be performed at Karen Club.