Review: The Road to Mecca at Seattle Rep Theatre
No play by Athol Fugard is a small matter. His dramas played an important role in the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa and usually deal with race, social roles and oppression in his native country. This one is the exception, for while it deals with the same society hidebound by the strict Dutch Reform Church, it is a more personal story about the role of an artist outsider, the self doubt felt as one ages and the spiritual transcendency of such people against those who would suppress them. Originally performed in London in 1987 and then in New York, it was later made into a film with Fugard himself as one of the characters. This is Seattle Rep’s revival of it.
It opens in a phantasmagoric interior of a house with walls that shimmer with reflected light, various statues of birds and animals, and huge displays of candles. A giant sun dominates one wall. These are creations of Miss Helen (Dee Maaske) and this is Mecca, her life work, a place she had a vision of years before where East meets West and all is Light.
She begins setting up a washstand for her friend Elsa (Marya Sea Kaminski), who has travelled 800 miles from Capetown to visit her overnight. Her much younger friend is concerned about Miss Helen’s ability to care for herself and continue her work. She is also concerned that the local village wants to put Miss Helen in a rest home. Coincidentally another friend, Marius Blyveld (Terry Edward Moore) who the pastor of the local church, is coming that afternoon to have her sign the papers that would actually commit her. Helen is considered the village eccentric and it becomes apparent they would like to get rid of her once and for all.
Miss Helen herself, is vacillating between a desire to keep going at her work and self doubt in her ability to care for herself. It is becomes apparent that Elsa is there to prevent Miss Helen from signing the papers and try to persuade her to stay and continue working on her vision. A true believer, Elsa was inspired by Helen at a time when she had “turned her back on life” but instead she felt inspired. Elsa tries to use her powers of persuasion but Helen is afraid. At the end of first act Pastor Blyveld enters and as the confrontation begins, decisions must be made.
Pastor Blyveld at first appears to be a person blinded by his religion, doing the wrong thing for what he thinks are the right reasons. However, as the scene unfolds it is shown that he too is concerned about Helen. At first Elsa refuses to stand up for Helen but as they continue Elsa exposes the real reasons that the village’s want to force her to move, what his real feelings for her are and superiority of an artist over those who would suppress her.
Both the director and the actors come in with a history of experience and all turn out a strong tight performance in The Road to Mecca. I was struck by the settings especially the candles and the large sun which both play an important role in the second act. Helen Martins was a real person and today Ms. Martins is recognized as South Africa’s foremost outstanding outsider artist. While she died in 1976 her inspirational story lives on at The Seattle Rep Theatre.
The Road to Mecca runs through February 14 at the Seattle Rep Theatre. Tickets range from $15-59 but anyone 25 and under may purchase tickets for only $10 for any performance (with ID – call for details). For ticket or more information visit www.seattlerep.org.
More information is available at our preview here.
– Ethel W.
