Fresco Theatre Online - a theatre production company with James Cuningham and Helen Iskander

“… an amazing piece of theatre… it leaves you moved by its deft humour, its real humanity. In 60 minutes, Black and Blue unbottles so many emotions… like life, there are no Hollywood endings.”
The Star

“Black and Blue spans all theatre genres... it is theatre that lets you believe again in life. Black and Blue is like manner from heaven”.
Die Beeld

“Black and Blue is a simple narrative directed by the innovative theatre-makers Helen Iskander and James Cuningham of Fresco Theatre. Sylvaine Strike’s insanely humorous Mrs Swart seems an uncanny reference to those of us who choose to lock ourselves behind high electric fences and hi-tech alarm systems in fear of what could attack us outside our front door. Danny-Boy Mooi brings to the production a delightful sense of comic timing. Black and Blue is undoubtedly another creative triumph for Fresco Theatre and The Fortune Cookie Theatre Company.”
The Sunday Times

“I’m not exaggerating when I say that Black and Blue is one of the most special theatre experiences of the year. Progressive and innovative yet simple in its story-telling, this off-beat comedy, a collaborative effort between cast and director, glows with warmth and humanity. This extremely accessible little gem can be viewed simply as a beautiful story of a woman’s spiritual re-birth, while others may be fortunate enough to pick up its rich array of nuances and metaphors. Told mainly via expression-filled physical theatre, the play displays great faith in the ability of the human mind to heal itself. In terms of setting and character, it has a classical, old-style feel to it, yet in its approach and staging it is thoroughly modern. Black and Blue is a story brimming with hope and delicate humour. Brilliantly conceived, acted and directed, it is a play with huge heart. Simply exquisite!”
The Citizen

“… a tour de force of images and minimalism… Helen Iskander and James Cuningham brought us the magical Baobabs Don’t Grow Here last year, and with this piece they demonstrate their versatility in a kind of theatre that brings together elements of magical realism, surrealism and reality.
A huge part of this play’s appeal is its duplicity. Black and Blue can be (and almost needs to be) understood on many weighty levels, but at the same time it could just be enjoyed for its simplicity.
… they weave of story of healing, of change and of rebirth. As the lights fade on our protagonist and we are left to cogitate the intricacies of Black and Blue’s themes, we still leave the theatre feeling light and bubbly like a glass of freshly poured champagne.
… refreshingly different, innovative theatre”
The Cape Argus, 2005

“Black and Blue is a marvelous and accessible theatrical treasure.
This show is so witty and entertaining, yet possesses so much detail and texture that it is a safe bet that almost anyone who sees it will simply lap it up. Because of its whimsical presentation, some people who see Black and Blue may think of it as simplistic escapist fare with a positive message tacked on, but it goes far beyond the limited and sometimes dishonest scope of escapism. It immerses one so effectively and ingeniously in a much worse era and in the emotional landscape of a troubled individual that it leaves an indelible mark.
Strike and Mooi deliver performances of such astute and lyrical comedy and gravitas that they’re more like a little symphony orchestra, wholly in tune with each other… I can think of no other way to describe this production than as a little masterpiece. Black and Blue will steal your heart and captivate your mind.”
The Cape Times, 2005

“Searching in its examinations of class, race, preconceptions and oddly South African suspicions, Black and Blue disguises its profundity with humour. That, together with an unerringly fine sense of the visual and a great degree of resourcefulness in narrative style, makes it memorably accessible”
Darryl Accone, Cue Arts Editor, July 2004

“From the start, this mime theatre piece was packed out because it was made by the Baobabs Don’t Grow Here team in collaboration with Fortune Cookie Company. Stunningly inventive”
The Star, July 2004, CRITICS CHOICE

“Imbued with an enchanting fairytale-like absurdity and genuine, but subtle significance and humanity, the packed audience on the night couldn’t wait to jump up in praise of this scintillating production”
The Cape Times, July 2004

“An admirably filmic aesthetic… in the simple tale they unfold, lies volumes of humanity… an unerringly fine sense of the visual and a great degree of resourcefulness… memorably accessible”
Cue Review, July 2004