Photo by Paul Ruffolo
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre "The Island"
Dimonte Henning and Sherrick Robinson in Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's The Island
In The Island, John and Winston are cell mates, victims of racial and political oppression in apartheid South Africa of the early ‘70s. And in this powerful, highly charged production staged by Milwaukee Chamber Theater, the two men are reminders that not much has changed since the highly acclaimed work debuted nearly 50 years ago.
Apartheid, in one sense may by “over with,” but man’s inhumanity to man rages on today, given current atrocities worldwide. The play, written by Athol Fugard, John Kanu and Winston Ntshona, is based a true story about South Africa’s infamous Robben Island prison, where Nelson Mandela was held captive for 27 years,
Fugard wrote extensively on the issues of political and racial injustice in South Africa in many of his works. He and his fellow authors adapted The Island from the classic Greek tragedy Antigone by Sophocles to illustrate that the freedom of the spirit and the will to survive can free oneself of the entrapment of physical incarceration. And in The Island, John and Winston choose to do just that by staging their own two-person production of Antigone for their fellow prisoners.
Director Michael Burke captures our attention immediately at the start of this 70-minute production (no intermission) with a riveting four-minute display of the brutal and futile physical labor (read: torture) Winston and John must endure. There is no talking; just grunts and groans as the two are forced to dig and run to each other’s spot to drop sand and rocks, back and forth, endlessly. Their captors are determined to break their spirit if not their bodies. But the two men unite to remain strong. That all changes, however, when John’s appeal is successful for an early release. Winston will remain behind—on the island.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
Photo by Paul Ruffolo
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre "The Island
Dimonte Henning and Sherrick Robinson in Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's The Island
Actors Dimonte Henning (Winston) and Sherrick Robinson are so compelling to watch, their interactions so realistic and natural that we are transported not only to this “island” physically, but emotionally. We experience all that they must endure, their intimacies and vulnerabilities laid bare. And their spirit to survive each moment and keep the other one strong is a testament to these finely layered performances under the masterful direction of Burke.
“Time passes slowly when you’ve got something to wait for,” says John when he learns of his release date. But even if physical freedom is imminent, The Island is rife with racial and political strife—with no end in sight.
The Island runs through May 1 in the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee. For more information, call the Box Office at: 414-291-7800, or visit: milwaukeechambertheatre.org.
