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Barbara Loots
DIE VEGETARIER, currently onstage at the Baxter Theatre, is based on a South Korean novel by Han Kang. It was translated by Deborah Smith into the controversial 2016 The Man Booker Internation Prize winning offering, The Vegetarian, and has now been adapted for the stage by Willem Anker, with direction and design by Jaco Bouwer.
DIE VEGETARIER was a great hit at the 2023 Woordfees. That is where I first saw it: It was one of my festival highlights, so it was with great excitement that I took my Baxter Theatre seat on opening night.
The premise of the story is distinct and lends itself well to a visceral staging: The main character chooses to forgo meat after a few upsetting dreams, the catalyst for a series of controlling and oppressive moments in her journey to self-expression and freedom on her terms. She goes through a sequence of transformations until she ultimately gets to a point of spiritual contentment, the realisation that she wants to be tree that survives without the need to eat at all... because what’s so bad about dying.
Although the play is called DIE VEGETARIER, it does not really engage with the philosophy behind this dietary choice. It rather uses the social reaction of ancillary characters to the apparently rebellious act of a wife/daughter/sister as the point of interest. Vegetarianism here is the vehicle by means of which the audience is invited to interrogate a system of social oppression, with strong patriarchal triggers. The play emphasises the harshness of the situation in which the protagonist stands in opposition to the norm; her naturalistic journey is starkly contrasted with the abattoir inspired design of Bouwer.
As is the case with the original book, the play effectively has three narrators, predominantly giving the perspective of the husband (Act 1), the brother-in-law (Act 2) and the sister (Act 3). Though it is her choice at the centre of the story, the protagonist constantly has to fight to be heard, as even the narrative style oppresses her.
Having seen the production before, this second viewing gave me the opportunity to really engage with the text –the advantage of knowing where the shocks, twists and turns will reveal themselves. This second viewing for some reason felt longer in run time: Perhaps this was just the way it played on the night, but especially Act 3 felt to be slower in delivery and not aligned in style and rhythm to that of Act 1 and 2; previously all three Acts felt to be driving the narrative towards the same end.
The multi-talented cast (Melissa Myburgh, Tinarie van Wyk Loots, Eben Genis, and Wilhelm van der Walt) deliver a very strong ensemble driven performance as they step into their main roles. All but Myburgh, with her impressive portrayal as the lynchpin of it all, also don masks as they take on the roles of the parents and doctors that propel the story forward around the purported insanity of Myburgh’s character.
The choice of masks is a divisive one. The audience may be split on whether it gives just enough of a comedic interlude in the tension of it all or unnecessarily stalls the thrilling buildup with gimmicky comedy. For me, the comedic moments felt a bit forced; these arguably limit the impact of the heights the already impressive play could reach as a psycho-sexual thriller. Admittedly, I observed others in the audience enjoying the lighter moments of masked shenanigans. I suspect the reception of the masked players in the plot will depend on the frame of mind with which you watch the play.
DIE VEGETARIER comes with a no-under 16s warning of nudity, sexual violence and traumatic content. I don’t think the play is as boundary pushing as the topic and age restriction may suggest when it comes to nudity. It speaks more to the control-driven violent response to anyone who dares to challenge the norm or fails to dutifully submit to the dominant predators within our societal structures. Comparison can be drawn between the protagonist’s resistance to eating meat and the rebellious acts of the Suffragettes, who themselves refused to eat when imprisoned and were force fed by men (in addition to the sexual assault they too endured). Afterall, the protagonist in DIE VEGETARIER finds herself similarly imprisoned, being force fed by her familial capturers, because she does not want to live within the same predatory systems and structures they adhere to. Unlike sexual assault, force-feeding as a form of violence is not frequently explored onstage: It is a very powerful metaphorical tool through which to explore and criticise the basis of societal norms and constructs of what is proper and right. I do however think the production can take the expression of that symbolism further if it wants to fully lean into the suspense thriller aspect of the tale that the 16 age restriction hints to.
Even though it plays it safe at times, DIE VEGETARIER, is a fascinating night out at the theatre that will leave you with much food (or meat) for thought. It’s definitely not a lighthearted night of entertainment, but if you are in the mood for a well conceptualized, cerebral theatrical experience then DIE VEGETARIER at the Baxter will take you on a surprising journey in a rather unconventional fashion.
The production runs until 15 March 2024, with tickets available online through Webtickets. It is performed in Afrikaans with English surtitles. As mentioned, there is an age restriction of 16.