The Prehistory of Moses P

ArtsDiva Productions—Planetarium

“Do the right thing.” How can such a statement, so simple, and so obvious, be so complicated?

In the opening of the show, we meet the adult Moses P, an eager, newly elected white politician in apartheid South Africa (1985). He introduces us to some of his family, notably Ma Kate, who is white, and reassures his constituents that he will work very hard on their behalf and do the right thing.

Flashback to 1945, (pre-apartheid) and we meet Johnny and a very pregnant Maggie. He is white and she is ‘coloured’ but it doesn’t matter. People are just people. We all have to live together.

For the remainder of the show, de Waal shuttles between these two moments in history with great ease, as he continues to add information about the lives of these characters. With each bit of information, the tension builds as the story lines reach to intersect each other, even thought the tone of the piece is most in line with the character of Johnny. So easy going at first, by the end of the play he is overwhelmed by helplessness. The apartheid system effectively boxes all of the characters into very uncomfortable corners. As this happen, every character is forced to consider doing the right thing. They all make a choice and each choice as consequences. I was thankful that I could have my own opinion of their choices, but was not asked to sit in judgement. I was thankful that I was given the luxury of exploring what “Do the right thing” meant to me.

As I read the programme notes (and everyone should), I was stunned by the systematic way that apartheid was introduced, and could not understand how anyone living in the 20th century could think that this system made any kind of sense. And then I turned inward to look at the way we in Canada view, and legislate our own indigenous population.

deWaal wisely does not explore reconciliation. That is another play. As with all global concerns, and this play explores one of many, we must make it a priority to reach consensus and “Do the right thing”.

Michelle Cook