South African Road Trip: Good Hope is an emotional musical show combining singing, dancing and digital storytelling. Each group member on stage is not only a singer but also a musician and dancer, as they use their whole bodies to perform. Traditional African instruments become the continuation of their bodies. The sounds are natural and authentic: steps, clicks, and whistles all become part of the music they present to us.
The ensemble of Good Hope includes eight men of the Khayelitsha United Mambazo Choir, four female Xhosa singers, and two South-African musicians, focusing on drums and other forms of percussion. Some of them are siblings, some are good friends, and they all interact like a large family with each other. At moments, it feels that the whole country came to perform, with the show representing many voices and sounds.
The range of songs, as explained by the artists themselves, covers all sorts of topics from folk songs about rain and prayers to God, to popular romantic and tragic motives of love, loss, pain and fear. But even when singing about the worst things in life, the melody stays cheerful, there is a spring in their steps and there is hope for a better tomorrow. Authentic, unmistakably African sounds turn into somewhat familiar tunes that you can relate to without understanding the lyrics. It’s a constant contrast of vocals and choir, of instrumental versions and a cappella singing.
The stage design is minimal; we have two massive screens with a small path in between and the band set up on the right-hand side. Constantly moving artists occupy the rest of the stage. The content on the screen shows scenes from the daily life of the performers and their families as well as more generic views of modern South Africa. There are also pre-recorded monologues of the artists, and these are full of emotional personal stories. Presented in simple words and phrases, they convey so many emotions. It is moving to watch them trying to find English translations for terms, such as love, God, family, that were formed and shaped in their minds for years to become part of their identity.
Changes of costumes take us from modern outfits to traditional clothing and back again. Yet at any point of the show, the clothes, as well as their moves and their facial expressions, convey their spirit. Everything is full of energy, love for music, and a desire to show themselves, their culture and their dreams to the world.
The whole show is built around performers’ love for their heritage and their hope for a better future: for themselves and for their families, their children, and future generations’. That emotion resonates with the audience and makes you want to clap along, sing along and be part of the song, even when you don’t know the words.
Whether you are already familiar with South African music and want to spend the evening singing along, or curious to discover a rich musical culture of this region, South African Road Trip’s Good Hope at Sadler’s Wells is the right show for you. Catch them at the Peacock Theatre until 30th October 2022.
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