Sometimes, in war, famine and radical times of change, there is someone still standing. And sometimes, they are not alone. Amongst the dunes of post-2050 earth a mirage of humanity glimmers in the heat.
Directed by Helen Iskander (Nominated ABSA ‘Best Director 2009’ award at the KKNK, for The Famished Road). Designed by Jemma Kahn and performed by Kyla Davis (ImpACT award winner for Theatre 2010) and Mongi Mthombeni (NAF Golden Ovation Award Winners for The Butcher Brothers (2010) and Naledi Award winners for Best Cutting Edge production 2010) this collaboration of award-winning artists brings you an exquisitely visual new play of epic proportions.
Planet B was originally performed as part of the SA Devised Season at WITS Theatre in 2011 and subsequently went on to tour to the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown 2011 and the Out The Box Festival, Cape Town 2011 (where it received a special mention for Excellence at the Handspring Awards.) The play also formed part of the official cultural programme at the international COP17 conference on climate change in Durban (Dec 2011).
In a place not so far away in a world, not all together different from our own, live two men. Separated only by a lake, the two are completely unaware of the others existence. Till one day, the water disappears and the two are forced to work together to find a way to save the lake and themselves. With clowning, physical theatre and puppetry, ZikkaZimba and Dark Laugh successfully come together again to share a beautiful story of overcoming obstacles and coming together. Fun, funny and heartfelt, Lake will leave you salivating for more.
Skillfully crafted by Daniel Buckland, Ryan Dittman, seen in Stranger Things and Othello, and Jaques de Silva, 2011 Impact Award winner seen in The Butcher Brothers, which won the 2010 Standard Bank Ovation Award and 2011 Naledi Award. The two bring to life an epic family adventure.
The Pollution Revolution is an original edutainment play that formed part of Well Worn’s pioneering Climate Change Action Programme, funded by the NLDTF and in partnership with Earthlife Africa JHB’s Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Project.
The play toured to 150 primary schools in Gauteng in 2010/2011 and performed to audiences of over 30 000 school learners and teachers. The play was also performed at the Family Festival of both the National Arts Festival and the Out of the Box Festival in 2011.
The 45 minute high energy, physical theatre play aligned to the Grade 4-9 Social Science, Life Orientation and Physical Science curriculums and covered themes of climate change, global warming, energy, water, waste, biodiversity and personal/social/ecological responsibility. Each school performance was accompanied by a ‘Climate Action Toolkit’: a learning resource researched, designed and compiled by the Well Worn Theatre Team. The resource included activities and learning materials to support teachers in carrying the learning over from Stage to Classroom.
The Pollution Revolution was written and directed by Kyla Davis and co-devised and performed by Craig Morris, Jaques De Silva, Joni Barnard, Jerry Mntonga, Taryn Bennett and Lerato Moloi.
Umlambo Wobomi /River Of Life is an African fairy tale about a rural tribe and their special princess Mamlambo, who all live by a beautiful river full of magical creatures. Set in an idyllic rural village where people live and work with nature and whose local river provides for their every need, River Of Life is a story of disconnection in a changing world. With her community in crisis, Mamlambo finds the courage to travel a path alone. She faces a hot dry desert, a teaming jungle and climbs the tallest mountain, all to find the Sangoma, save the river and her village.
Umlambo Wobomi /River Of Life is 40 minutes in duration and is best suited for Grades 4 – 7. An accompanying workshop is also available.
Umlambo Wobomi /River Of Life was the first production workshopped by the Laduma Jungle trainee team from Ocean View, Langa and Khayelitsha. Vincent Meyburgh directed the play with assistance from Nimray Kruger and Mfundo Hashe. It was first performed for the City of Cape Town’s National Water Week programme at Ratanga Junction in March 2011 and went onto two public run at the Masque Theatre in 2011 and 2012. It was part of the ASSITEJ SA Family Venue at the National Arts Festival in 2013, toured the West Coast Community at the start of March 2016 and was performed at the Masque Theatre during Water Week 2016.
A Dog’s Life broaches the specific needs of domestic animals in terms of their day-to-day care through dance and tri-lingual song. The play delivers important messages about the practical aspects of animal welfare.
A Dog’s Life is 45 minutes long and suitable for Grades 1-3. An accompanying drama skills workshop is also available.
As a response to increasing concerns about the plight of urban domestic animals, Jungle Theatre Company developed A Dog’s Life, which was adopted by International Fund for Animal Welfare as part of their Companion Animal Programme. It was rolled out through twinning programme at the Baxter Theatre in 2006 – 2008 and toured communities in Soweto in 2007 and 2008. Recast in 2010 with 6 Laduma Jungle trainees A Dog’s Life was performed in 2010 Mdzananda Animal Clinic, Camp Footprints and other community events. In 2012 and 2013 the show went out on the road to schools and communities, including Paternoster, with IFAW and to Stellenbosch with Department of Agriculture. In 2014 it was rolled out as a twinning programme at the Baxter and another twinnings programme just took place this June 2017 at the Masque Theatre.
A hilarious one man show that gets the audience involved every step of the way. Vinnie is from planet Zok and needs help to get back home. He gets the children to help him to juggle, make music and ride a one wheel bike. Vinnie learns so much about planet Earth, in the end he wants to stay.
Vinnie comes down to earth to share his magic and to learn about different cultures. The show uses innovative puppetry, unique juggling tricks, original music, physical comedy and audience participation to entertain, inspire and enlighten earthlings. Vinnie From Zok encourages people to take part in the show and learn about different levels of communication in a multi-cultural society. Learning about different cultures is fun! It also inspires them to learn the different skills that Vinnie uses in his show including juggling and drumming.
Vinnie From Zok is 45 minutes long and suitable for Grades R-3
The one-man show Vinnie from Zok was created and performed in 2000, thanks to funding from the Consulate General Netherlands. It was performed all over Cape Town metropolitan area and received a great response from audiences in Gugulethu, Khayelitsha and Langa. The play was also taken to audiences in the Netherlands and has most recently been performed at the Muizenberg Community Festival, Synergy School, Soetwater Environmental Education Centre, Planet Kids and Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
Starring:
Vincent Meyburgh
Sometime in the future the earth is one mega city ruled by Robot. The last tree on earth is captured by Robot’s slaves and locked in a tower. The Jungle Spirit is dying. Her last hope is to appear in the dreams of ordinary people.
A story teller uses traditional Xhosa intsomi technique to convey a tale about the importance of trees and urban greening for the wellbeing of all. With nature and wilderness being the source of inspiration for art and music, different cultural styles are made accessible through the disciplines of music; mime; puppetry and storytelling evoking the feeling of freedom and developing the imagination
The audience takes part in creating the event as well as being directly involved in the action of planting a tree – a living memory of the event and the responsibility of its survival handed to the community.
Jungle Jive is 45 minutes in duration and is suitable for Grades 4-9. It is accompanied by a tree planting and a drama workshop is also available.
Jungle Jive was created in 2001 and rolled as a sub-autonomous project with Abalimi Bezekhaya between 2002 and 2003 to over 40 schools and communities. Jungle Jive continued to tour schools in 2005 with continuation funding. The play was revived by the 2007 trainee team and was performed for the Youth Environmental Schools’ Arbor Weeks in 2007 and 2008 and toured extensively in the presidential poverty nodes of Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain in 2008.
!Kama Indlovu holds the key to the elephant world. He discovers three very different children fighting about elephants. !Kama takes them on a journey into the mysterious origins of Indlovu People. They get involved in magical puppetry, catchy music and comedy. Their relationship with these majestic creatures is changed forever.
Indlovu People reflects upon the history and interactions between humans and wild animals in man’s quest to dominate the earth. It reveals a chain of events that has created an issue of elephant overcrowding in Kruger National Park and the effects of enclosing wild animals in nature reserves. Indlovu People considers the range of elephant management options put forward by stakeholders and asks the audience to form their own opinion about this ‘problem species’.
Indlovu People is 45 minutes in duration and is suitable for Grades 4-9. An accompanying drama skills workshop is also available.
Indlovu People was commissioned by International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2008 as part of their Elephants Secure Habitats programme to raise awareness about issues surrounding elephant management in Southern Africa. The play was created under the direction of Stuart Palmer for schools’ twinnings run at the Baxter Theatre in May 2009. Heather Mac joined the team as guest director for a public performance in 2009 and under her direction the play has been adapted and ran at Out The Box festival and National Arts Festival in 2010 where it was part of the Cape Town Edge programme.
Hoerikwaggo is a fun; interactive, educational play focusing on the importance of the Table Mountain range as an example of biodiversity. The play concentrates on the natural environment with particular focus on indigenous flora, the diversity of animal life and broaches: fire prevention; baboon management; protection of species; fynbos and biodiversity awareness; the importance of alien clearing and cultural heritage. Hoerikwaggo is a trilingual production that draws on local archetypes and characters and uses comedy; song; dance and audience interaction to provide engaging education.
Hoerikwaggo is 55 minutes in duration and is suitable for Grades 4-7. An accompanying drama skills workshop of 45 minutes is also available.
Hoerikwaggo was created in 2005 in conjunction with Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) educators to develop a curriculum relevant show and workshop for the intermediate phase. The play has toured schools and the National Arts Festival and was incorporated into TMNP ‘Kids In Parks’ schools outreach programme in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010. Hoerikwaggo was performed for Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden’s Biodiversity Expo in 2010 and 2011. Hoerikwaggo returned to the stage in 2013 with a school tour and public run at Kalk Bay Theatre followed by a school tour and public run at the Masque Theatre in 2014. Hoerikwaggo was re-cast and performed at the Langa Civic Hall for learners from Langa and Kalksteenfontein primary schools in October 2015.