In the haunting aftermath of devastation and loss, Karatara unfolds as a poignant tribute to resilience and remembrance. Through a skilful amalgamation of dance and theatre, the production’s director and designer, Gideon Lombard, conquered the immensely difficult task of conveying the deep and complex feeling of grief experienced by an entire community.
Karatara, performed from 11 to 15 October at the 2023 Toyota SU Woordfees, is a jarring portrayal of the traumatic events of the 2018 Knysna wildfires, a devastating disaster that claimed the lives of six children and two adults from the Karatara community.
Performers Grant Van Ster, Shaun Oelf and Dean John Smith (From left to right) skilfully capture the collective grief of the Karatara community after the 2018 Knysna wildfires through a jarring piece of physical theatre produced by Gideon Lombard. PHOTO: Supplied/Woordfees
More than just dance
Through the mesmerising language of dance and drama, performers Shaun Oelf, Grant van Ster and Dean John Smith invite us to bear witness to their raw and complex journey through grief, and the shared losses of family, land, and identity.
As the performers gracefully navigate around the stage, using their bodies as instruments, the physical embodiment of anger and sorrow become so palpable it was easy to acknowledge that this could not solely be captured with words.
Sounds and sights of a despair
From the beginning of the production, Karatara places the audience in profound discomfort. Utter darkness, momentarily broken with bursts of torch light, followed by screams of pain and panic, attempt to capture what the Karatara community experienced the night of the fire.
The sound design of the production wove together fast-paced, anxiety-provoking music with news recordings that followed the immediate aftermath of the 2018 fires. This prompted the audience to consider how tragedy can be twisted by the media, and politicians in their pursuit of furthering a particular agenda.
Karatara was performed from 11 to 15 October as part of the 2023 Toyota SU Woordfees, at Bloemhof Girls’ High School. PHOTO: Supplied/Woordfees
Award-winning storytelling
Karatara made its debut at the 2022 Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees, where it received an award for the best debut production. It has since garnered multiple award nominations, underlining its powerful impact and storytelling prowess.
This poignant physical theatre production is more than just a performance; it is a tribute to the human spirit, a chronicle of survival, and a testament to the strength found within the depths of sorrow.