Diapason is a two-hander sensory symphony composed of light, sound and shadows. Conducted by its creators Nawaal Adams and Savannah Steyn, the bizarre performance belts out the tale of two people as they mutter, curse and play through the stages of South Africa's lockdown. The concerto of confinement leading to the crescendo of emotions through a clash over space and stimuli will have audience members giggle and gawk at these characters. The show strums at the challenges of remote living as well as the echoes of COVID-19 realised through its long-term aftereffects. The performance notes the nuances of emotions and the difficulties of navigating tempo when forced to harmonise in chaos and uncertainty.
Unique, dynamic and wacky describes this show and it's odd conductors, Adams and Steyn. Diapason, referring to "the entire scope of something" and "a grand swelling burst of harmony," is a sensory experience for audiences of all ages. While light, colour, and sound are essential components of an epic social event, they may additionally generate chaos owing to sensory overload. Whereas the complete absence of these elements could bring about a stable albeit lonely existence. From gloomy, antiseptic silence to a riot of colour, light, and sound. It delves into the complexities of emotions that come with crowds, the sound of taxis shouting, police sirens echoing, and people. Shouting, laughing, and sobbing as they experience Cape Town in the uncertain and slightly unstable years of 2020 & 2021. In this two-hander, one character has been eager to emerge from their cocoon, while the other wishes they could have stayed.
How do they negotiate this new world after being distant for so long?
ARTIST BIOS
Nawaal Adams is a writer, storyteller, performer, and Applied Theatre facilitator from Cape Town. She holds a BA in Drama and English Language & Literature and a BA Hons in Theatre & Performance, specialising in Applied Theatre. Adams is currently a PhD student at UCT, researching the effects of drama therapy's role theory on vulnerable youth. She has conducted workshops on mental health and body image in adolescents and has written and performed for the Second Chance Theatre Project. Adams has also directed and co-wrote the audio drama Prison: Where Your Rights Are a Privilege. She has also written, directed, and performed in several plays, including Bid Net My Kind and Grief is a funny thing.
Savannah Steyn is a passionate storyteller with a BA in Theatre & Performance, specialising in Theatre-Making. She is a Mandela Rhodes Scholar and has worked with organizations like Oxfam, the Second Chance Theatre Project, and FunDza to promote education and agency in climate change, social justice, and literacy. Steyn has written several plays which include The She Box, 3C & Extreme Lengths. Her love for the quirky, unusual and child-like funny cartoons as a young girl has inspired the show as she and Adams embody the chaos of the emergence of COVID through a Tom & Jerry-inspired dynamic.