Ashley Dowds in The return of Elvis du Pisani (Photo via woordfees.co.za)
The return of Elvis du Pisani is a total must-see: an old-fashioned one-man show that balances comedy with deep, meaningful storytelling and is performed to perfection by Ashley Dowds. The cleverly woven narrative and energetic performance kept me on the edge of my seat. Dowds shines in his physical and vocal transformations, fully inhabiting multiple characters with conviction and clarity. The vision and messages are unmistakable, but never forced on the viewer.
Eddie du Pisani’s life has not turned out the way he had planned (sounds familiar?), and he is hanging on to a last string of hope. While questioning his own existence, purpose and will to live, he returns to the lamppost in Witbank that he had visited once before on a fateful night that changed his life forever. As he detours through childhood memories, his first love, his emulation of Elvis and the events that led him to this very place, he re-enacts heartbreaking memories. It is a non-tech-driven show, with Dowds using his vocal range and body to capture characters, rather than relying on props or costumes. Even the soundscape is created mainly by the actor himself and is shockingly realistic.
Paul Slabolepszy’s script is a roadmap that gets drawn as you travel with the character through the landscape of his life. Every detour adds another layer and detail that adds value and meaning. Through tears and rib-cracking laughter the revelations hit you sharply, and yet the humour keeps the pain bearable. To carry a script like this is a mammoth task, and it could easily become indulgent, but the director-actor team manage to avoid it completely. There is not one moment that is over-played, not one pause that lasts too long, not one second that does not serve the story. It is a masterclass in theatre.
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