Menopause the Musical is written for two distinct audiences: those who have gone through the menopause and those who haven’t. Those who have gone through ‘The Big Change’ will find a lot of truths in the play. I can say this with certainty as the ladies around me could not stop laughing, clapping, and fanning themselves with a pamphlet. As for the rest of us… it is a horror story.
Menopause the Musical is a story of four women: a soap star (Kate Normington), a businesswoman (Ntambo Rapatla), an earth mother (Shelly Adriaazen) and a housewife (Delia Sainsbury) who form an unlikely sisterhood over discounted underwear and hot flushes. And while nothing brings a diverse group of women together like a lingerie sale in Bloomingdales, the common experience of menopause is one which binds them together emotionally.
The soundtrack is constructed from twisted versions of 70s and 80s hits accompanied by light comical choreography. Some of the treffers include ‘Sane and Normal Girls/Thank You Doctor’ (‘Californian Girls’), ‘My Husband Sleeps Tonight’ (‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’) and ’Stayin’ Awake/Night Sweatin’’ (‘Stayin’ Alive’).
It would have been a nice touch if the play had been more South Africanized. The odd South African reference such as a jab at Julius Malema and a mention of Woolies seem rather out of place in an American accent. Even if said accent was rather inconsistent and altogether dropped during most of the songs by the four ladies.
Accents aside, it was the energy that the actresses brought to their respective roles that made the characters so easy to relate to. Adriaazen seemed too young to be a child of the seventies, but what she lacked in fine lines she made up in heart and incredibly strong pipes. As the career woman Rapatla was perfect at conveying that “I’m professional, but I’m on a break” vibe.
A small part of my heart chipped on seeing Sainsbury’s face when she tried on lingerie that was at least 5 sizes too small. It was the look of determined ambition that even those from the horror category could understand. As the washed out soapie actress, Normington threw a grown-woman-tantrum-freak-out worthy of a Fleur Du Cap – a fitting climax to the horror segment of the show.
Menopause was written by Jeanie Linders in reaction to the lack of representation of ‘women of a certain age’ in popular culture. Twelve years and 15 countries later it’s fair to say that she’s given these unsung heroines well deserved stage time. This is the second run at the Theatre on the Bay and I doubt it’ll be the last.
By Jana van Heerden
@woict_girl
Menopause the Musical runs at Theatre on the Bay from 20 January – 18 February 2012.
