Cadre @ Traverse

Written by Omphile Molusi and performed by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Cadre explores a young man's journey through the apartheid in South Africa – from his childhood through to old age, once freedom has been secured. Molusi's writing threads the personal narrative into the historical one beautifully and seamlessly; one minute he talks about his love of Africa, the next he is murmuring softly about his childhood sweetheart.  

Cadre is not just about the struggle against racism and white supremacy, but it is also a piece about home, freedom, history, love, and much more. This is theatre at its most powerful; with energetic and emotive acting and incendiary writing, concocting images of a country at war with injustice, and a man at war with himself. It explodes onto the stage with anger; anger for lives lost in the name of freedom, in the name of justice, in the name of a better future. The struggle goes on but how can anyone look forward to the future when everyone they care about has become a figure of the past? 

As Gregory – the main character – points out in his closing speech:

"What do I look forward to? What do I have left? I'm trying to run, but I can't outrun myself."