When Marius Muller killed a man by slowly beheading him, he was haunted by the sound of the man’s soul leaving his body, almost like the hum of a moth's wings. When he tells this story to John Josana, he becomes similarly haunted by the sound.

When I watched the play on a chilly evening at Live Theatre, I became haunted by it too.

The Moth follows John, a black journalist who was born in South Africa, and Marius, a white South African former soldier, as they meet by chance on a train. As they tensely get to know each other, their lives become interlinked in a way that changes how both men think of war, race, forgiveness and, ultimately, themselves.

The commanding performances of both Faz Singhateh and Micky Cochrane were what set this piece apart. There was a captivating power to every monologue, and when they were together the anger and tension between them felt like a physical force. The whole room seemed to jump at every sudden noise, every shout, every jolt of movement. I’ve never been kept on the edge of my seat quite so literally.

It isn’t a play that provides neatly wrapped up answers to the questions it poses. Its dynamics are messy. Its characters are deeply flawed and, at times it would seem, unforgivable; The Moth demands that its audience really, deeply consider what redemption really means and who is in a position to give it.

It wasn't an easy watch. It leaves the audience just as haunted as its characters, the sound of the moth’s wings echoing in your ears for a long time after, but it’s worth every minute.

Paul Herzberg