Pictures of You is one of those plays that is worth watching purely because it is different in the purest way. It is a play written to be enjoyed by both deaf and hearing theatre-goers. This may seem an odd concept, as much of the theatre we are accustomed to has, well, people speaking or singing. The opposite side of the coin, of course, is how do you include those that aren't deaf without making them feel lost or maligned? Pictures of You scores on both aspects.
All the emotion, and every aspect in the intriguing story, is conveyed through the acting, lighting, and clever props. Whilst there are only two thespians in the play, they both have odd caricature-like masks that they wear throughout. This means that there is no lip movement or facial expression, and it leads to the purest form of theatre I have seen in a while. It was obvious by much excited gesticulating that the deaf members of the audience were thoroughly captivated by the play and that they truly enjoyed it.
What of those of us who have not had much exposure to the deaf community? Well, in many ways, watching Pictures of You is like watching a ballet. The story is conveyed through a non-traditional medium (dance or acting) that is accompanied by a soundtrack, but does not rely on the sound. Ballet is perhaps more tightly married to the music and I can't honestly imagine having watched Pictures of You without hearing Rien de Rien in the background.
The show is somewhat surreal. There are scenes that are a little hair-raising. But there is little doubt of its theatrical value; this is a show that you have to watch if you have only a the tiniest bit of respect for the performing arts. It is ground-breaking in the truest possible sense. Get yourself to the Baxter and catch it during its run - it will be well worth your time, and your money will go towards supporting the deaf community in South Africa.
Photo by Toast Coetzer
