Congo and coltan, personal and political
Photo of Sarah Amankwah: Alex Brenner
Daniel Nelson
Congo has long been a victim of Western greed and violence, whether King Leopold’s atrocities; Belgium’s terrorising Force Publique with its mass amputation of labourers’ hands and feet; murderous political chicanery - including the assassination of independence leader Patrice Lumumba; and mining companies’ ruthless political and economic corruption.
That list — much of it executed in the name of a “civilising mission” — is only part of a grotesque history of plunder and partial genocide.
Further contributions to the mayhem have come from surrounding countries, themselves often in search of valuable minerals, and of course sometimes from Congolese people.
The greed and violence that continue today have many causes, of which coltan is a key factor. Coltan is in your mobile phone, your computer, your camera, your car. It’s an integral part of our lives. So it’s not surprising that Western countries, and now China, will do anything to get their hands on it. It’s not a secret, but it’s rarely discussed - and certainly not in terms of the impact on ordinary people.
So three, no, three-hundred cheers, for Sasha Hails’ Possession at the Arcola Theatre, for putting the spotlight on it. And doing it well.
She’s attempted the near-impossible task of making the personal political by focussing on four women, all mothers: a Congolese refugee, Kasabayi Mabele; her daughter, Hope, born on a 38 bus at Victoria station; a white missionary, Alice Seeley-Harris, who is a real historical character; and a British journalist, Alice.
Their stories cross time and borders, their words and actions for the most part convincingly told and presented (strong cast, but Sarah Amankwah needs special mention: she’s red-hot lava), theatrically linked by comments and gestures by the on-stage invisible Hope.
There’s a couple of overtly political scenes and thankfully little exposition, and it’s testimony to Hails’ writing that the play could also be said to be about motherhood and even, to a lesser extent, migration.
Outstanding.
Possession is at the Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin St, E8 3DL until 15 July. Info:7503 1646/ https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/possession/