The Road to Mecca

The Road To Mecca tells the essentially true story of Miss Helen, an elderly woman who lived in obscurity in the small, conservative community of New Bethesda, close to the harsh landscape of the Great Karoo in South Africa. Here, after the death of her husband, she was inspired to undertake her true life’s work, which was to transform her home and the yard surrounding it into art, using cement, beer bottles, broken mirrors, gaudy paint, old motor-car headlamps, assorted junk and an extraordinary imagination. She sculpted owls, wise men, camels, peacocks, a half-cock half-man, mermaids, creatures of all kinds, and filled her house with light and colour and glitter ground from broken glass. This was her ‘Mecca’, a place that challenged the narrow views of her neighbours.

Now, Miss Helen must face the possibility that she can no longer preserve her all-important independence of mind and body in the face of outside efforts to ‘take care of her.’ Competed over by two friends from opposing ‘camps’, whose desire to do the best for her leads to strongly conflicting views of what that might be, can there be any resolution to an irresolvable situation? The Road To Mecca is a play of debate and heart and dignity and passion, and of a glorious vision that transcends the ordinariness of our lives.

For more information about Miss Helen and her Owlhouse, click here

Cast and crew

Director

Lisa Warrington

Cast

Miss Helen - Louise Petherbridge
Elsa Barlow - Terry MacTavish
Marius Byleverd - John Watson

Crew

Set Design - Andrew Cook
Lighting Design - Ulli Briese
Stage Manager - Rowena Thevarakam
Lighting/Sound Operator - Kathy Creswell-Moorcock
Photography - Reg Graham
Poster - Brian Beresford
Front of House - Alison Finigan