Fugard’s other theme is the necessity of passing on human stories to keep people aware of where they come from and where they are going. Veronica’s grandfather (who makes a few moving, ghostly appearances) collected pumpkin seeds to plant so they might grow into big plants. Mannetjie, Veronica’s son, keeps a collection of big words in the same container so that eventually he can write down the stories he has heard. It is almost as if Fugard is waxing poetic as to why he writes and the importance of passing stories on to each generation.
Stephen Sachs does a brilliant job of capturing just the right tone and look for telling this story. He has also assembled a remarkable cast. To denote the passage of time, two separate actors play Mannetjie: Timothy Taylor is the sweet-faced boy at five, while Matthew Elam plays the more serious intelligent Mannetjio at ten. Adolphus Ward is a kindly and moving presence as Oupa the grandfather. Thomas Silcott is terrific as Veronica's dimwitted but kind-hearted friend. Deidre Henry is magnificent as the pretty Veronica who slowly descends into despair and death. Her performance stirs the heart.
Coming Home plays at the Fountain Theatre until August 29th with a possible extension. Go see this one!
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