Xoli, Bawdy, Sam and Karla are a group of grade 11 girls who attend the Diocesan School for Girls (DSG), Makhanda. The all girls’ school is a 187-year-old private boarding school that delivers an IEB curriculum. Their brother school is St Andrew’s College, a 232-year-old all boys’ school. Classes are shared by boys and girls from Grade 10-12. These two schools are separated by a giant green gate which is locked at 11pm in the evening and unlocked at 6am in the morning by tired security guards in navy blue uniform. While St Andrew’s is a gateless grounds spanning 5 blocks, DSG has recently built a wall around itself with electric fence to keep the outside out and the inside in. The girls roil and suffocate inside.
They are baby anarchists. New free–thinkers. And dreaming together into future liberatory possibility.
Xoli and Sam are in love or falling in love. Something muted and grounded and real. On Saturday afternoons they bunk out of school grounds with Bawdy and Karla to the often deserted train station in the centre of Makhanda to get high, shit-talk, dream, wonder if they will get to the other side of now. They are thinking into critical liberatory pedagogies into building nations that are not the stifled prison-house they feel they are in. They all feel, acutely, the discomfort of something itching – they know something is not right with the world.
There is friction in Xoli and Sam’s fragile relationship; Bawdy fuels the fire while dealing with preganancy and the decisions she must make. Karla’s mother as recently passed and she is moving through the aftermath. They talk about school and boys and race. They talk about disciplinary cases happening at both the boys and girls schools. Bawdy insists the politics will play themselves out. There is an altercation, an ideological impasse at which point one must act. It is the realisation of something euphoric, of power to destroy, of having the real potential to dismantle; and something horrific, no longer romantic, real and with real consequences. Suddenly there is the sound of the school guard and they run. In the panic and commotion as the nearby public rush towards the rising fire, the girls separate pursued on foot. At the normal meeting place, all but one girl return – Sam.
Sam is handed over to her school which immediately begins the process of questioning, gathering evidence and building a disciplinary case. Sam exposes Bawdy. Heads must roll. Sam’s parents remove her from the school before the date of her official tribunal. Xoli gets expelled. Bawdy gets expelled. Karla gets one-month suspension which she will spend at her father’s lake house in Plettenberg Bay.
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.
This is a multiligual production about elder abuse, originally created as an educational theatre piece for elderly of the Stellenbosch community. This play is a conversation between two psychology students and their grandmothers. Cindy grapples with the fact that her makhulu might not be as well as she thought she was, while Mandy hears stories from how her oumies friends suffer what sounds abuse in various ways, financially & physically.
‘n Meertalige narrespel aangebied in Afrikaans en isiXhosa. Guppie bevind homself in André se kou. Die Republiek van die Kapok Boer Vereniging. Die RKBV het ontstaan na ‘n aardbeweing ‘n skeur getrek het rondom ‘n lappie aarde wat twaalf plase, ‘n kerk en ‘n foefieslide adventure park insluit. André oortuig die gemeenskap dat die mense van buite ‘anders’ is, en dat hulle moet bly op die eiland. Maar op ‘n dag maak ‘n nuwe maatjie, Nkululeko, kontak met Guppie. Die produksie sal die jongspan laat skaterlag, terwyl die produksie vrae vra wat die grootmense sal laat nadink oor ons huidige polêre samelewing.
Want to extend your bag of tricks? Here is an online games resource for youth ministers and other folks that need to know good group games!
“Dude! Wa’s My Phone?” is designed for high school students from Grade 10 to Grade 12 who are enrolled in Dramatic Arts. This age group is our main target audience, given the themes’ relatability, the cultural insights it offers, and its ability to captivate and educate a demographic highly connected to the challenges and opportunities associated with digital technology.
The play provides valuable insights and raises awareness about the consequences of smartphone addiction. Our interactive story creates an environment where young audiences are more receptive to messages encouraging a healthier balance between online and offline life.
“Dude! Wa’s My Phone?” utilizes humour, drama, and relatable situations to engage learners in a contemplative exploration of the role of technology in our lives. It delves into its impact on relationships, social consciousness, and the intricacies and absurdities that arise in the digital age. The production addresses the contemporary issue of smartphone addiction, examining the following themes:
- Addiction and Dependence on Technology
- Friendship and Connection
- The Intersection of Comedy and Tragedy
- Identity and Sense of Self
- Spark Dialogue and Reflection
Human beans, come to the theatre and allow your imagination to take flight! Follow Roald Dahl as a young boy and journey with him through Mrs Pratchett’s sweet shop, his early school years and meet his favourite teacher. Plunge into scrumdiddlyumtious worlds of dirty beasts; filthsome creatures, crocky-wocks and vitches. Get ready to take a leap, a jump, and fly with us through Dahl’s magical worlds.
A story of loss, love and hope. A young girl is missing. A distraught mother searches for her and the brother is locked in the house to keep him safe. The community rallies together and the hilarious neighbour joins the search.
This show is dedicated to all the missing children in our country.
You hear music everywhere around you: on radio, on the streets, in church, but do you know how music is made? Have you ever attended a real concert? With this project, we bring jazz music to schools. Children experience South African jazz during a real concert. They get to meet and greet the musicians and their instruments. There is also room for any questions you always wanted to ask. This concert is not only great fun for children, but also for their teachers and parents. So let’s all swing to South African jazz classics and the latest songs.
Optionally the children can be prepared for this experience by a music introduction class by one of our music teachers.
As the Luthuli Museum we are thankful for the opportunity to have partnered with iSupport Music Business in conducting the fun and educational day for the children of Groutville. The programme allowed the museum an opportunity to uphold one of Chief Albert Luthuli’s values to enhance education. The programme proved to be a very fun filled day and was enjoyed as an extra mural activity for children as they learned a lot on this day.Luthuli Museum
Themes: introduction to music and musicians & water preservation.
Talented saxophone player Bongani the Elephant has a dream of starting a band with other jungle animals. His challenge is that there is a drought in the jungle, because it has not rained a lot and the humans are using up all the water. Making music makes you very thirsty! Bongani takes you on a journey of starting his first band, from finding his band members to composing the first songs.