CHRIS THURMAN: Parliament’s theatre of thrills
We have come a long way from the dull and drowsy days when the Parliamentary Channel was launched in the 1990s. Now you get fistfights, swearing, snide comments and raised fingers aplenty
Some art forms are better suited than others to reflect particular historical moments. In this column a few weeks ago I suggested that photographs capture the horrors of King Leopold’s Congo in a way that even lauded SA actors such as John Kani and Robert Whitehead cannot. But last week I celebrated Matilda: The Musical as a piece of theatre that speaks to “our time”. If readers are hankering for a return to the visual arts scene, I apologise; there will probably be more theatre next week. SA’s performing artists could do with greater coverage in this country’s mediascape. After all, they have to contend with what must be a common instinctive thought among their fellow citizens: why pay money and leave home to see a show when there is plenty of “reality drama” to watch onscreen? It’s locally produced, it’s packed with infighting and intrigue, and it’s free. I am talking, of course, about footage from the National Assembly. We have come a long way from the dull and drowsy days when t...
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