Mlima's Tale

A soul-stirring narrative, #MlimasTale @KilnTheatre combines the powerfully lyrical prose of playwright, Lynn Nottage, with the visually dynamic direction of director, Miranda Cromwell …

Evoking the primal, haunting essence of a West African griot’s lament, the #play follows the heart-wrenching journey of Mlima— played arrestingly by Ira Mandela Siobahn— a bull elephant and an emblem of majestic, untamed #beauty, who becomes victim to the ivory trade…

Captivating #choreography takes us to a liminal space, both tangible and metaphysical, a realm where an elephant’s spirit and its ivory coexist. Fans of #RagivJoseph’s ‘Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo’ may recognise a similar approach to #magical realism. Watching this vibrant animal #spirit we are forced to confront his untold stories, his unfulfilled destiny, his reduction to a lifeless ivory statue…

As with ‘Ruined’, her modern adaptation of #MotherCourage, Nottage is preoccupied with complicity. As the stolen ivory changes hands, its handlers are marked with white clay, emphasising their connection to the #crime. Visually, it’s a stark reminder of reality as characters discuss the increasing monetary ‘value’ of the ivory, while insisting on their limited connection to its origins…

More than polemic against illegal poaching, the narrative suggests a broader metaphor for the exploitation and loss experienced by African nations, in the name of foreign consumerism and greed…

There’s also a nod to the uneasy notes of exoticism; “White people love their animals,” says one character, wryly. The dialogue’s undercurrents speak to human social justice movements that recently seem more contentious than those of animal rights…

Despite some inconsistent accents and a few fumbled lines, the play leaves a lasting impression. It’s a visceral appeal to our collective conscience, prompting us to confront uncomfortable questions about empathy, responsibility, and the long shadow of history. 4/5

📸 by @marcsbrenner

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