THEATRE
Adapted by Maxine Beneba Clarke from her memoir, Malthouse Theatre
At Beckett Theatre, Malthouse until 17 March 2024
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: 4&1/2
This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat March 2024. KH
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Zahra Newman is a force of nature in The Hate Race, commanding the stage and populating it with a parade of characters from the life of the woman at its centre, Maxine Clarke. The Hate Race is adapted from Clarke’s memoir about her childhood in Australia when she was exposed to racism and micro-aggressions because of her skin colour and heritage.
Newman is an exceptional and charismatic performer, impeccable in her telling of the story, and she skillfully embodies characters from Clarke’s life, including her British Afro-Caribbean parents, teachers, best friends, worst enemies, and assorted bullies, transforming herself and transporting us to the world of Maxine’s childhood.
Although this is a solo performance, Newman is not alone on stage, but is accompanied by the magnetic Kuda Mapeza, who cannot simply be described as a singer or musician; she uses her voice and instruments to create not only song and music, but the entire environment and atmosphere that surrounds Newman’s characters.
The direction, by Tariro Mavondo and Courtney Stewart, is inventive, imaginative, sleek and deft, while Clarke’s stage adaptation of her novel is spare and swift-moving, avoiding incorporation of tracts of prose and making the text theatrical and accessible to an audience. The use of self-narration by Newman as Maxine captures the intimacy and authenticity of the memoir.
As the child Maxine, Newman reveals episodes of her being bullied by boys on bikes and by students in playgrounds, making friends with white students, being called ‘Blackie’ and being told she is ‘brown’, which seems to be the only characteristic that other children could identify in her, despite her intelligence, competence, and fascinating life stories.
The most compelling and transformational moment was Newman’s jubilant description of Maxine’s victory at her final school debate. Her escalating energy, joy and delicious sense of triumph was thrilling. This scene brought tears to my eyes as she honoured her father, her heritage, her politics and her own conscience, exposing the entrenched subjugation of people because of their race or colour.
by Kate Herbert
Performed by Zahra Newman (actor) & Kuda Mazepa (musician)
Directed by Tariro Mavondo and Courtney Stewart
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