Known internationally through the second half of the last century, Miriam Makeba was born Zenzile Miriam Makeba. Her mother, having survived a difficult labor, chose the name “Zenzile,” which means something like “you’ve done it to yourself.” Undoubtedly referring to her own past difficulties, she wasn’t necessarily bestowing sunny potential on her new daughter.
Keeping that in mind for a tribute to Makeba, Somi Kakoma, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, impersonates her obvious idol in Dreaming Zenzile. She’s Makeba at a November, 2008 appearance in Naples, Italy, during which the singer-activist, born in 1932, succumbed to a heart attack. Is Kakoma referring to the adage about reliving one’s entire life in a flash while expiring? Could be.
With the support of Aaron Marcellus, Naledi Masilo, Phumzile Sojola, and Phindi Wilson as figures in her life — such as her mother and civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael (who was married to Makeba for ten years ) — Kakoma keeps the autobiographical references brief.
They’re snippets, really, about Makeba’s impoverished and abused childhood, the recognition of her voice when still young, the early film, Come Back, Africa, in which she was noticed by Harry Belafonte, her first visit to New York’s Village Vanguard, subsequent fame and development as an anti-Apartheid advocate, her daughter’s death giving birth, her eventually being unwelcome in her native South Africa and in her adopted United States.
Though the facts of Makeba’s busy, not to say often punishing life, are important and potent, Kakoma (who somewhat resembles Makeba, especially in Makeba-like wardrobe by Mimi Plange) presents a stage piece that might be considered a jukebox musical. It isn’t exactly that. Rather, her reprise of Makeba’s songs, as well as introductions of some of her own, is much more of an outright concert. There are all or parts of 29 — count ‘em 29 — from Makeba’s repertoire and include “Pata Pata,” a stateside click.
“Click” is the right word, as many of Makeba’s numbers featured an audible click — the tongue pulling away from the roof of the mouth accompanying a lyric. The vocal trick that registered as a significant indigenous hallmark. Indeed, Makeba’s South African origin was influential in awakening this country to world music. That shouldn’t be forgotten — nor should American jazz be forgotten as a powerful influence on her.
Dreaming Zenzile, while assuredly Kakoma’s homage, is also an opportunity to show off her magnificent voice. She’s able to produce some of Makeba’s tone, and often, marvelously, there are even Sarah Vaughan echoes. The joy of African songs written by Makeba — a prime inclusion is “Nongqongqo — and others is replicated by the several Kakoma has put together.
The entire score is played with heart and African/American soul by a four-person band — Toru Dodo on piano, Pathé Jassi on bass, Sheldon Thwaites on percussion, and Hervé Samb on guitar and as musical conductor. Their presence upstage underlines the concert feeling. Dreaming Zenzile is further enhanced by Hannah Wasileski’s projection design on the back wall of Riccardo Hernandez’s concert-like set. Yi Shen’s sounds and Justin Ellington’s extremely attentive sound design are more than helpful.
Throughout, Marcellus, Masilo, Sojola, and Wilson are kept on the go by choreographer Marjani Forté-Saunders in Plange’s flowing white outfits. The effect is that they often resemble swans on an intermittently agitated lake. It does look impressively as if she’s basing their moves on Makeba’s frequent body adjustment, bending forward at the waist and then slowly returning upright. The look, usually accompanied by sometimes fluid, sometimes abrupt arm gestures, suggests obeisance, but that may not be Forté-Saunders’ intention
Throughout Dreaming Zenzile, Kakoma recalls Makeba’s fight for freedom in South Africa. That fight is universal, of course, hardly least in the US. Makeba erupts about her country’s history of repossessed lands, insisting, “You don’t want us to be free.” At that moment she may be accusing her homeland’s government, but she’s speaking –and singing — for Blacks in many other homelands. She still needs to be heard.
Dreaming Zenzile opened June 1, 2022, at New York Theatre Workshop and runs through June 26. Tickets and information: nytw.org
