Playright Aldo Brincat is that first-generation South African of Mauritian, Egyptian and Maltese heritage. Born in mid-60’s South Africa, Brincat, along with his family, find their maturing years playing out against the backdrop of a country in turmoil.
Aldo Brincat’s award winning hit, The Moon Looks Delicious From Here, is a 70 minute, largely autobiographical solo performance, which is driven by a loving father and son relationship – each from different eras and motherlands. Here, Brincat plays an array of characters in and around a fragile young nuclear family – some foreign, some local – all of whom are finding or losing themselves in the ever-changing political landscape that is South Africa. Language, religion, ambition, sexuality, and political leanings are brought into sharp focus as our two lead characters fight off ‘otherness’, while attempting to assert themselves into a volatile new country. Key moments in their lives are juxtaposed against powerful developments in South Africa’s history during the 70s and 80s and, as the effects of apartheid (and its homophobic policies) begin to reach boiling point, family ties threaten to tear apart.
The Moon Looks Delicious From Here is universal in its theme, particularly at this time when the intersectional knock-on effects of migrancy, sexuality, heritage and identity are brought increasingly into our consciousness.
Written and performed by the international multi award winning interdisciplinary artist, Aldo Brincat, and directed by Sjaka September, with music by the multi award winning international composer, performer and producer, Bongiziwe Mabandla.
Emily Jade was no ordinary child…
She was shy and timid but adventurous and wild.
She was odd-looking, unpopular but also quite smart,
Despite failing Science, Geography, Maths, History & Art.
You see, Emily could not stay focused – a major flaw –
She never stopped daydreaming – not ever, at all.
Young Emily, who always ‘has her head in the clouds’, decides to take up the challenge of ending the drought once and for all. She invents a marvellous machine which she flies across the African continent in search of rain clouds.
Physical theatre (Avril Cummins) combines with ‘documentary-style’ video footage, a simple, creative set, and heaps of imagination. This educational and whimsical fantasy delivers a strong message of hope, resilience and empowerment.
“The Cloud Catcher” has been performed across South Africa, including at the Assitej World Conference (2017), entertaining and educating young audiences about the drought affecting much of the country.
Performed by Avril Cummins
Generously supported by the National Lotteries Commission, Well Worn Theatre Company proudly present their latest production for young audiences. ‘Galela‘ is a thirst-quenching new play about a community deeply affected by our country´s water issues.
Splash! Splutter! Then shhhhhh… Only ripples left. Would you dive in next?
Three best friends bravely embark on a project to make their town´s drinking water safe again. They soon discover, however, that they have waded into hot water and that the problems affecting the town dam are deeper and murkier than at first glance. Still determined to make a difference and to secure the future of their friends and family, the trio dive in to fix the mess, proving in spectacular fashion that children with the biggest imaginations will save the world.
Nationally acclaimed eco-education company, Well Worn Theatre, proudly present the latest production in their three-year touring play programme generously funded by the National Lotteries Commission. ´Galela´ is the thirst-quenching story of a small community deeply affected by our country’s water issues. Directed by multi-award winning Thembela Madliki (‘Nyanga’ NAF 2016 and ‘Bayephi’ NAF 2017), ‘Galela’ features the energetic physical theatre talents of Lerato Sefoloshe, Mlindeli Emmanuel and Tebogo Machaba, and is geared for children aged 7 to 12, though parents, teachers and older siblings will also enjoy this epic adventure play!
An IsiXhosa name meaning ‘pour’, ‘Galela’ is the thirst-quenching story of a small community deeply affected by drought. The show dives head first into the deep end of the serious water issues affecting our country, and though geared for children aged 7 to 12, this epic adventure play will whet all peoples creative appetites, and also refresh or fill ALL South Africans with some much needed, every day, water-saving tips. ‘Galela’ premieres at the 2018 National Arts Festival followed by a tour to primary schools and festivals across South Africa, in the aim to entertain, educate, and imaginatively engage learners and audiences about issues of drought, water consumption and water pollution.
To book a performance of ´Galela´for your school, organisation or event, please email wellworntheatre@nullgmail.com or call Kyla on 0767152414
Poster Image by Ellen Heydenrych (Hey_Ellen Illustrations)
Londoloza is a South African childrens’ play that tackles nature and water conservation. The show is an awareness of how can save water, use it in a responsible manner and the show also looks at the various things that effect our environment such as littering and pollution. All of which are linked to wasting and polluting water. The show is comprised of 4 actors, who use dance, singing and puppetry in order to get the narrative across. The show encourages recycling and informs its audience on the various methods there are to recycle or re-use items instead of littering or throwing them away. Thabo and Namhla are childhood friends who love their community and find various ways of saving water and taking care of the environment. Mabutho and Makapisi are the community rebel children who do not care about preserving water and the environment. They are rude and bully Thabo and Namhla every time they try to do something good for their community. It is not until Mabutho and Makapisi ruin the whole environment and wastes all the community’s water, that they get a wakeup call and finally turn their lives around after seeing the effects of not taking care of their environment and water. This show is highly interactive and allows the children to be part of the story so that they are actively involved in the development of the story. The cast will ask the audience questions and at various intervals ask some of the audience to come up on stage to help the characters in the show with whatever they need at the time. This show will run for 30 minutes and at the end the cast as well as the audience (teachers are also welcome)will have a brief questions and answers session after the show to unpack some of the things that came up in the play.
The show uses storytelling to relate the ancient and not commonly known history of the roots of the South African people. History of SA: Quick-Quick One Time! locates the different cultures through the various provinces, giving the learners an in to geography, taking them through celebration ceremonies, ancient art, music and celebrates the South African languages.
The show in its current incarnation is suitable for learners from the age of 3 to 7, but can be crafted and extended according to the schools specifications to be suitable for ages between 3 – 13, elaborating more on the different aspects of cultures, ranging from cuisine to traditional garb, to current dynamics (i.e. a modern South Africa in which citizens are not bound to their homelands but move freely in the country to find employment, to marry into different cultures) and to widen their knowledge of their country.
The piece is interactive therefore smaller groups of between 20 to 25 children are ideal, however the piece can be crafted for larger groups with less interaction and more storytelling.
FISHY FLIPPERS is an interactive, spontaneous and playful storytelling show, about a boy who finds a penguin on his doorstep. The clowns invite the audience to explore the shores of their imagination as the boy and the penguin set off on an adventure in search of home, only to find it within each other. This is a story of an unusual and delightful friendship, told by two (very silly) clowns!
Brought to you by CREATIVE BEANS, this award-winning clown and storytelling show for children has been performed internationally since 2011. In 2013 Fishy Flippers won the Audience Favourite award at Musho! Festival and went on to enjoy great success during the ASSITEJ Family Season in the Western Cape. The show was created and performed by Nadia Woodward (clown & performer from South Africa) and Annabel Morgan (clown & storyteller from Swaziland), in collaboration with Clowns Without Borders South Africa.
Icky Plasticky is building a huge island in the middle of the ocean. The more plastic he finds in the sea and on the beach, the bigger he gets. If he can an accomplice, the quicker his island will become bigger than the entire ocean. Maybe he can convince Zoe, the singing fish, to help him. She is a big fan of The Voice, and Icky Plastic is very good at imitating people… But what will happen to Zoe’s friend, Popper the penguin, and Miss Octopus, if the sea is full of plastic?
Focusing on whales, this high energy physical theatre show explores the comparisons between whales and humans and lets us in on some of the secrets of these mysterious creatures of the deep.
The wondering whale watchers are on a quest to be like whales as they swirl their audience into an exciting adventure of juggling to catch food, bubbling underwater music and receiving e-whales from a whale called Wonder.
They explore the relationship between whales and people through the ages and look at how these beautiful creatures communicate, what they eat and how they form part of the ecology of the planet.
Through this fun adventure for the whole family the wondering whale watchers discover a new way forward for the relationship between whales and people.
This show was originally created by Jungle Theatre Company in 2001.
Do you know why trees are important and do our children know? This show teaches, in a fun way, about why trees are important, what they give us and why they should be conserved. This hilarious show is the perfect, ‘fun’draiser!
Our story takes place in a small, tranquil village where the villagers are working hard to beautify the area in preparation for a wedding ceremony. However, peace is disturbed and the ceremony disrupted, when greedy developers swoop in and begin to wreak havoc on the land. As more trees are chopped down and building continues, Mother Nature has to step in and through the voice of an old man, a great magical tree, airs her concerns to the developers and encourages them to change their ways before it is too late…The Tree Show and workshop program celebrates indigenous trees as a vital part of our existence. This fun and interactive show uses song, dance and drama to engage the audience in a lively and interactive storytelling experience. We look at current threats that trees face in the light of unsustainable development and conclude that we, as custodians of the planet, should work together with nature instead of against her.
The show is completed with an interactive tree planting workshop at the venue where the show is performed. Children from the audience become involved in the planting of an indigenous tree that they will then be able to watch and nurture as it grows over the years. This tree stands as a reminder of the importance of trees to life on the planet.
Did you know that over the past decades man has done some terrible things to elephants? Is this a history we want our children to read about or do we want to show them some good news about our wild animals and diversity?
The Eden to Addo Corridor have to re-established the ancient elephant migration paths between the Garden Route National Park, The Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site and the Addo Elephant National Park and restore ecological balance of the region. They commissioned The Great Eden to Addo Adventure to depict the story. This is perfect as an educational live theatre masterpiece as well as a great vehicle for fundraising drives.
The Great Eden to Addo Adventure follows a brave young girl who leads an escaped circus elephant on an epic adventure from Knysna to the Addo Elephant Park. En route they encounter a leopard, a sunbird, a dung beetle and a tortoise who each teach the travelers about the challenges they face. Together they find ways to work together to overcome these challenges.
This fun, entertaining and interactive show uses puppetry, mime, comedy, song and dance to convey its message and is followed by an interactive drama workshop for the whole audience.
This show uses the innovative Lunchbox Theatre style to highlight biodiversity and the need for humans, plants and animals to live in harmony.
