Scratch

Seen on July 4, 2016 @ National Arts Festival, Grahamstown

A story about a boy and his toaster and a girl and her bicycle. The scene is a campsite with all kind of memoralia scattered about and a boy living with his toaster in a tent. Although he does not remember his name anymore, he calls himself Smith and seems perpetually lost to get a grip on his memory. Until a girl walks into his life with a bicycle. She is ever using words not to forget, writing them in notebooks as to always remember. What feels like being stuck is home for the other, whilst the wanderlust keeps you going but never settle. And what better way to rememer words by singing them? Wayne Smith and Nell van der Merwe’s voices sound in beautiful harmony as they explore what has been forgotten and what has been lost. Should they stay or move, together or apart.

This sweet musical is a joy to watch, clever child friendly dialogues, beautiful singing but with a plot that does not feel finalized yet. At the moment you suspect the performance finishes on a high, the end is postponed and comes a bit akwardly. But the songs and the words of the songs made it a family friendly performance worth attending.

Photography: CuePix/ Aaliyah Tshabala – National Arts Festival 2016