It's a personal encounter of the human kind, about getting in touch with where we come from, our journey into life and the people that impact on our humanity and influence the choices we make. Owl is a journey into the experiences that shape our reason and questions the importance of our relationship to ourselves and those who come into our lives.
The play is gentle in its approach and in its unassuming delivery. Keevy's direction keeps the focus on a character that explodes into variety of other characters and implodes on an introspective journey of searching, questioning and discovery.
Briony Horwitz delivers a fast-and-furious performance that captures the essence of a small-town girl imprisoned by her circumstances, and who desperately needs to break free and embrace a whole new world.
Due to the colourful poetic language and subtextual inflictions of Keevy's text, it is the kind of play that needs to simmer down and be savoured, bit by bit. It's a play you listen to and want each word to take its own special place in your memory, where the words and the action it inspires culminate in whole experience.
Horwitz' speedy delivery and rapid pace does not give the audience a chance to catch their breath and ponder over the meaningful exposition and duologues. It's not a lengthy play, so an extra few minutes of performance time would most definitely enrich the experience.
Also, due to the intimate nature of the play, it would have been great to have been drawn into the mindscape of the character and not open the play too much, or have too many lighting changes influence the pace and tempo of the emotional journey.
Owl needs to be listened to and experienced without unnecessary manipulation.
There is absolute magic in its simplicity, resulting in a complex self-search for meaning and understanding in a world that spirals out of control.
Owl offers ideal entertainment for anyone looking for conversational theatre, where you can sit back and open your heart to the thoughts and conversation of a charming character, and then converse about afterwards.
It's only on until Saturday, 5 May at the Kalk Bay Theatre.
Read more at www.writingstudio.co.za/page1746.html
