Benchmarks. They are what define performances. They are what define life. When an actor learns his lines he takes the first hesitant steps towards a benchmark. When he begins to live those lines, he takes the next, slightly more confident step. When his body finds the rhythm of the character the step begins to assume the dimensions of a leap. And when the performance touches the audience, you think a pinnacle has been reached.

But only when the actor has the audience living, breathing and existing with him can we say that a benchmark has been breached, a highpoint defeated.

We were fortunate enough to watch such a performance tonight and I must say I came away from LaMakaan ‘old monked’ into a blissful state of consciousness.

Firoze proved once again why he performs under the monicker – Sifar…nothing…because he left nothing to chance. He took a powerful script, a pertinent subject…claimed ownership by translating it into the vernacular…and danced his way around the spacious loo flitting from heterosexual nuances to gay leanings all the while comforting the audience into feeling with him…

a little joke here…a cheeky indiscretion there…a surprise shower…a delightful comfort with the skin show that ensued…and all that in a skylight kind of tent that became everything from a public toilet to a happy Prince’s boudoir.

The connect he established with the audience was wonderful and his quirky eyebrows teased, tantalised and taunted them into taking the story seriously. Before we knew it, an evening of laughter had become an evening of protest and we had no chance to take any position but the one he had chosen for us.

As for me, I came away convinced that the Gods of Theatre have ordained that if we have to see brilliant performances like this, we need to pay in advance by allowing ourselves to witness a whole lot of shit…

No…that’s not the moral of the story though the script did deal with a lot of excreta…it’s just an angry state of the mind…