‘as british as a watermelon’ is running as part of the Edinburgh International Festival programme Refuge at The Studio – Potterrow. The series, in partnership with Scottish Refugee Council questions ‘what it means to be international in today’s world.’
mandla rae, writer and performer of ‘as british as a watermelon’, pieces together fractured memories of a life plagued by neglect, abandonment and childhood trauma. Through a series of poems, stories, movement and songs the audience follow mandla’s journey from a child refugee to adulthood rebirth.
As the title suggests, the show features watermelons as symbols representing moments, memories or figures from mandla’s past. Whilst retelling these memories mandla stabs, rolls and throws the watermelons, opening, dissecting, separating them. mandla wears a lapel mic during the show which picks up every puncture, squelch and slosh making the action much more visceral and immersive for the audience.
Special credit should go to Xana for the sound design of the production and Graham Clayton-Chance for the voiceover recordings – the crisp, clean, realism of the audio in this show is paramount to the delivery of mandla’s story.
mandla enters the stage cradling a knife, shadow cast against the backdrop – a menacing image. It is therefore a happy surprise when mandla beams up at the audience to say hello, a friendly reminder that this is not just a story but also a person. mandla is completely charming, witty, methodical and brutal – a storytelling triumph.
‘as british as a watermelon’ is gritty, eye-opening and refreshingly real. This live art show is harrowing and thought-provoking yet in mandla’s performance it retains a lightness and humour. Overall, a truly memorable experience.
‘as british as a watermelon’ is running until Friday 26th August at The Studio – Potterrow.
https://www.eif.co.uk/events/as-british-as-a-watermelon#dates-and-times
Theatre Scotland 
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