Asinamali

What started off as a riveting, honest work in the Market Theatre, Johannesburg c 1985 grew into a full-scale 'musical' that reached Broadway.

Writer/director Mbongeni Ngema then adapted it for the screen. Taking the lead role as Comrade Washington as well as directing, he somewhat muddied the waters. Comrade (his birth name) arrives at a prison armed with Amnesty International's endorsement to investigate the inmates' treatment. He wants to uplift them with drama (acting) and song. But, and this is a big but, long before he starts teaching them the prisoners, both male and female, sometimes spontaneously burst into song and fully choreographed dance. Does that not render his intentions superfluous?

The scene where he gets the first three men interested in drama/acting is superb. Their honest laughter at what he proposes is both amusing and endearing. Had this been the tone of the film, it would've been excellent.

The scenes of violence, maltreatment of prisoners, and daily drudgery are very good. However, once again the 'musical' element interferes. When all the male prisoners are stripped naked, they start singing and dancing - long before the teacher's classes commence.

Somehow the two aspects never truly integrate. Be that as it may, it would still have been really worthwhile. Alas, Mr Ngema was seduced by the possibilities the camera offers and effects such as slomo, weird angles and tinted lenses spoil it all, like saying something stupid...

I suppose one has to suspend disbelief that the women's and men's prisonsare next to each other and they share a recreational area, albeit at different times. The Warden of the men's gaol having access to the women also strikes me as improbable.

However, Asinamali still remains a testament to my country's bleak and dismal past and the injustice of Apartheid. The title is Zulu for 'we have no money'.