Good script,great acting

Death of a Colonialist is a remarkable return to the theatre from award-winning playwright Greg Latter. Jamie Bartlett also does justice to the larger-than-life Harry.
THERE was a “bloody” colonialist on the stage of the Market Theatre last night, brandishing an assegai. His torso and head were covered in red ochre, making him a rather fearsome-looking Xhosa warrior.

Death of a ColonialistJamie Bartlett plays Harold Smith, a spirited and blustering history teacher, in Death of a Colonialist, a tragicomedy about many things: our often bloody colonial history, loyalty, selfishness, fear and disillusionment, infidelity, cancer and its effects, and family relations.

Harry is a patriotic South Africa, devoted to life in Grahamstown, where he has taught colonial history for the past 30 years, giving impassioned lessons on Xhosa heroes to his pupils.

But the passion is missing in his family life – he has blustered selfishly along, not stopping to find out how Maggie, his wife, played by Shirley Johnston, feels about life; or how his two children, Jonathan, played by Carl Beukes, and Susan, played by Ashleigh Harvey, who are both overseas, are doing.

There are many parallels to the story – Harry looks backwards to find meaning in his life, but can’t understand how his children can abandon modern South Africa for “greener pastures”. He is an exceptional teacher, but is being axed because of his over-exuberant rendering of history.

But with the return of Susan and Jonathan for a visit to see their dying mother, he is forced to take a new look at his life.

Harry dominates the stage; his larger-than-life presence is everywhere at once. “It is a massive piece of work,” says Bartlett.

He identifies with many of Harry’s passions, calling himself a “dyed-in-the-wool South African”, and feeling pained when he hears of friends wanting to emigrate.

He says the play is unashamedly a white South African’s story, just as other plays portray stories of South Africans of other races. “We need to accept our history, and not be ashamed of it.”

Bartlett has worked in film, television and theatre for the past 25 years, and has recently completed a four-year stint on Etv’s Rhythm City, as the villain David Genaro. In 2010, he won a Naledi Award for best performance by an actor in a lead role, for his portrayal of Harry. The play also picked up two other Naledi Awards: best production of a play and best director.

Playwright Greg Latter has written over 20 film scripts, including Forgiveness and Goodbye Bafana, and is the recipient of many awards. Death of a Colonialist heralds his return to theatre after an absence of 24 years.

A good script, great acting, a compelling story – you couldn’t ask for more in a play. Death of a Colonialist runs at the Market Theatre until 16 October.