Peter Brook, at nearly 90, continues to create exciting theatre that inspires audiences around the world.

He began his career in England, working with the Royal Shakespeare Company and establishing his life-time exploration of Shakespeare’s works. In 1970 he founded the Centre International de Recherche Théâtrales, which created internationally successful productions such as The Ik, Ubu, Conference of the Birds and The Mahabharata at the Theatre des Bouffes du Nord. His latest touring production, The Suit – created in partnership with writer Marie-Helene Estienne – was originally titled Le Costume and was written and performed in French.

The Suit is adapted from the short story by Can Themba, Mothobi Mutloatse and Barney Simon, and is set in Sophiatown, South Africa, at the time of Apartheid. There are parallels in setting and performance style with Woza Albert and Sizwe Bansi is Dead. The Suit is a story that could have been written by Chekhov or Gogol, with its compelling psychological exploration and understanding of an impoverished couple.

Philomen and Matilda are a seemingly happily married couple living in simple circumstances until the day Philomen is told by a friend that his wife has been entertaining a young male at home every morning.There is nothing like adultery, or the suspicion of adultery, to strike fear in the hearts of partners and turn normal life into a state of paranoia (Othello comes to mind).

When Philomen discovers that what he has been told is the truth, he calms his initial rage and devises a plan that forces Matilda to be reminded every day of her act of adultery. He insists that her lover’s suit is present in their company whatever they do; it is there at meal times, for walks in the neighbourhood and at social gatherings.

William Nadylam, as the agitated husband, and Nonhlanhla Kheswa, as Matilda, are simply superb. Early on, Nadylam establishes Philomen as a happy-go-lucky nice guy who has a great rapport with the audience, but when he hears of his wife’s adultery he snaps into being a frustrated, hurt and angry man who can only resolve his pain by playing mind games. Kheswa is a singer with her own band, and her character has a dream of being able to sing; from the beginning, then, there is perhaps more unhappiness and frustration in the relationship than it appears.

When Kheswa sang the lyrics “It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day. It’s a new life”, from Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good”, the audience melted – not only for her voice and beauty, but for her circumstances. She is a talented, caged bird who wants to fly, but her wings have been clipped.

The implications go well beyond an act of infidelity: this play is a metaphor for the suffering of black South Africans under the ruling white regime during Apartheid.

True to Peter Brook’s word in his book The Empty Space (still compulsory reading for anyone interested in theatre), the set of The Suit is simple: coloured wooden chairs, a couple of tables and several clothes racks bordered by lights on high stands are all that is required for this performance. The power of the production emanates from the talent and emotion of the performers, and the fascination of the script; the cast imaginatively use the props to create buses, community centres, cafes and street scenes.

Ery Nzaramba is the lover and Philomen’s friend, and the musicians (Arthur Astier on guitar, Mark Kavuma on trumpet and Danny Wallington on piano) provide atmosphere with a bit of cool jazz, classical and African songs throughout the performance. Kavuma plays cameo roles and they all create characters in the large community centre.

The cast took us, in an instant, from light, comic moments to suspense and almost horror, then it was able to find something comedic to relieve the tension. The Suit never strays far from its core, which is the disempowerment of talented people through means of mental torture and ritual humiliation. The implications go well beyond an act of infidelity: this play is a metaphor for the suffering of black South Africans under the ruling white regime during Apartheid. And before we become too sanctimonious about another country’s human rights record, we should consider the torment and humiliation that have been inflicted on the indigenous people of Australia from their first contact with Europeans.

The Suit, as you would expect of a Peter Brook production, has moments of great beauty, conflict, drama and comedy. He has once again created a piece of theatre that communicates with, and appeals to, people of all races, colour and creed. The Suit depicts human interaction and experience with which we can all identify, and it raises much bigger questions about politics and power.

The State Theatre Company of SA is presenting The Suit at the Dunstan Playhouse until October 12. Click here to read InDaily’s interview with State Theatre CEO Rob Brookman about his quest to bring a Brook production to Adelaide.