Author: musickim

 

 

 

From the moment the stage dimmed, this 6 person cast from the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris managed to captivate the attention of everyone sitting in the Power Center. From the starting notes of the accordion to the last sultry melody of the piano, the performance took the audience on an emotional roller-coaster.

 

 

I must say I came into this performance not completely aware of what to expect, but intrigued by the setting of apartheid South Africa and how it would play into this compelling story of adultery. However, during the play, I never once sat back to question the story line. Instead, I found myself pulled into another world with the actors, observing this tragic world of love and despair first-hand. I struggled through the feeling of betrayal along with Philemon after catching his wife cheating, and I stood next to Matilda as she sought forgiveness from her husband, fighting to move on from her past.

But of course the play could not have succeeded without the talented and compelling cast, including Nonhlanhla Kheswa, an incredibly talented South African actress and singer. The various songs she gifted to us throughout the story were a treat to encounter. Her voice flowed like silk into the seats, and I often would catch myself smiling with her as she let her emotions pour out through her voice.

It is also necessary to comment on the set, which though amazingly sparse, gave greater depth to the performance. The lack of physical objects on stage challenged the actors to embrace and convince the audience of the reality they were living in. The seamlessness of the lighting was incredibly artistic yet utterly simple, allowing for clean and thoughtless transition from one scene to the next, alerting the audience to the mood of the moment. And the live music integrated directly in with the set was the perfect addition to the raw atmosphere of the play.

Though I found myself traveling the emotional ups and downs along with the characters, there were lovely moments of wit that made the audience giggle with humor. When the play came to a close, I found myself completely satiated as a theatergoer and longing for more from this charming and talented cast. I would strongly urge you to attend this performance, or any other by this company, and take a jump into the unknown like I did! It certainly payed off.

I am here to explain to you the depths of what exactly musickim has come to represent. Believe it or not, this title encompasses much more than just a blogger’s screen name. Rather, it is a title I have carried with me since middle school, a time when no 10 year old in their right mind knows where they will end up in their life. And yet, by some mysterious force, I managed to create my first ever email account with a username that excellently pinpointed my true passion for the last 10 years of my life: music.

Now, you should also know that I have much more in my life than just music (difficult to believe, I know, considering I came to Michigan to be a clarinet performance major in the School of Music). In all seriousness though, there are many topics and interests that hold me captivated that are completely outside of the music world. For as long as I can remember, I have thoroughly enjoyed all forms of the arts, attending every museum my parents could find throughout my childhood, soaking up the new architecture wherever I traveled, reading random books on art history where I’d find them in obscure book stores, getting an education on photography from my father who has a natural gift for composition, watching many an ‘oldie’ film thanks to my parents’ appreciation  of the classics, and most importantly appreciating the nature that I was privileged to experience growing up in California and spending many summers hiking, camping, and going on road trips throughout the US.

I also like to think of myself as having a unique perspective in the art world, considering I am a scientist at heart. I have always been fascinated by physics, and hope to someday be a scientific researcher in the field of astrophysics.

So all in all, musickim is a musician at heart who loves the clean straightforwardness of science and can’t wait to cover as many big, obscure, hipster, and mainstream arts on campus as she can physically fit into her college career. Here’s to an optimistic start of my blogging career!! Stay tuned….