From the entry of Simon with his beautiful song to the unnecessary profanities of the train driver (Roelf Visagie, played by Ritchie Coster), The Train Driver appeals to many emotions that convey to the viewer the dynamics of a rather depressing situation. Simon (played by Leon Addison Brown), unable to get a decent job due to the color of his skin, digs graves for black people near the railroad; the ones who are named in one pile and the unknown ones in another. Conversational exchanges between Coster and Brown show the delicate balance of racial relationships in South African society. The way the train driver treats Simon in the beginning, with the pushy dialogue and the subtle race related remarks, is also proof of this. Both actors demonstrated to an excellent extent the authenticity of apartheid and how it affected interracial interactions. Fugard’s experience with plays relating to racial tensions can be perceived effectively through the way Simon is protecting the train driver from the groups of black people that raid some nights, hiding him in his shed, even giving him his food. Even after they become friends, there is still a hesitance between them that is due to the difference in their complexions. The two characters each have their own little quirks, providing uniqueness to otherwise basic Caucasian and black males. For example, Simon’s laugh is enough to cause an audience to smirk a little itself, while the off color swearing by the train driver depicts his anger and confused state of mind. These characters fit the general role of black and white males in apartheid filled South Africa, but these interesting characteristics are what set them apart from the expected caricatures. From the authentic accents and the genuine conditions of a poverty stricken black South African man to the train driver’s rain jacket and Simon’s large, uncomfortable overcoat, one can clearly see that South Africa’s apartheid culture was well represented in this performance.
Technically very sound, the performance’s sound effects of trains, people, and even dogs were used to great results in order to create a sense of fear and anticipation when the two main characters could not provide the spark. Even the lighting of the fire in Simon’s shed had an ominous feel to it, sending a dreary shudder through the audience. Dimly lit with a dark backdrop, there was actual gravel on the stage floor. The morose atmosphere of the stage was extremely somber, well suited to the play’s needs. With every description of the scene in which the lady and her baby were killed, an image forms of a struggle of a man trying to stop a train and then a sudden thud. The train driver’s agony is reflected through these memories and flashbacks. Many questions arise in the audience’s mind. Who was this lady? What was going through her mind? Was it an accident? Suicide? Why the baby as well? The ending of the play is the complex unraveling of the racial tension between Simon and the train driver along with the self- deprecating attitude of the train driver reaching a breaking point. The train driver’s search for personal peace is what guides him to do what he does, but attaining this peace proves to be rather difficult.
This play deals with an inner struggle of a man who has experienced a life-changing event. However, the underlying theme of the prominence of racial differences is felt in every swear, every song, and every gesture made by the two men. The one complaint about this play, if anything would be that Fugard may have not necessarily taken the knowledge level of all audiences into account. It can be clearly be seen that there are racial undertones to the plot, but it would have been better if there was some more direct racial conflict. The audience should definitely do their research before viewing any performance of The Train Driver.
Why would a man care so deeply for a woman he didn’t know? What causes benevolence even in times of prejudice and hatred between two completely opposite men? Hope, and therefore the lack of hope inspire and plague the characters of this play, as internal and external struggles shape their lives and decisions. One of the smoothest, most well rehearsed performances in recent memory, this is a must watch for any theater lover.
Credit: Navtej S. Ahuja (Photographer), James Houghton and Erika Mallin (Directors), and The Perishing Square Signature Center (SignatureTheater)
To understand the drama fully, yes, it helps to know the history of apartheid in South Africa. Nice photo, Navtej!