Does anyone have any idea what the impact of the pandemic of HIV and AIDS is having on our children and their family life? How does one approach this sensitive subject? Did you know that a live theatre show like, Tand’ Impilo can open up a safe space to discuss the subject and this forum can save lives?
Thand’ Impilo
uNontombi is a traditional musical play which portrays two men fighting over a beautiful woman in a Zulu village. The young man Mkhonto make use of traditional powers to win the love of uNontombi as our story continues the audience witnesses a crucial turn where love is taking its direction. we see mbuzini a close friend of Mkhonto betrays him by proposing uNontombi and only to find out that she loves Mbuzini more than Mkhonto.
The play magically explores the story that every child can relate to. A young boy living a fun filled life; who is highly favoured by his peers for his good manners until one day when he decided to go against his mother’s will and his life changes forever. The boy finds himself trapped between what’s right and what’s wrong and all gets well when he finally decided to accept help from all those who care about him.
The play bears a strong message about life and the reality the characters face resembling that of young people face on their daily lives. Living in a society where it is not safe to talk to your uncles and brothers because they struggle to set a good example for the young ones. It’s a provocative and compelling theatre. It asks questions about whether the moral rehabilitation is possible, whilst telling an exciting, emotional and at times, humorous story.
Patchwork is South Africa’s first professional show created just for 1-4 year olds. It was developed through intense research with the age group, to develop a theatrical language that meets our audience eye-to-eye, mind-to-mind. The show is designed to engage and delight the senses and imagination, promote empathy and create a bonding experience for children and their caregivers. Told through the languages of physical theatre, puppetry and live music (by Pedro The Music Man) the show is accessible to children of all languages and backgrounds.
Patchwork unfolds around a bed: the place where the comfort of home meets the strange world of dreams. In this world pillows become creatures learning to fly, a sheet dances with a life of its own, a teddy and a lamp makes best friends, and the proverbial cow jumps over the moon (as do the sheep and the dinosaur)!
The whole experience is carefully orchestrated to both calm and delight, making sure no little ones are left behind. ‘Patchwork’ promises to be a one-of-a-kind first theatre experience.
Patchwork is an experiential rather than educational show, however it will engage children on concepts such as bedtime, friendship, music, big and small, losing and finding. It will also stimulate imagination and creativity, and engage empathy and focus.
When a father of the house passed away he states on his will that he left 2.5 million for his son Zweli. Zoliswa the wife is not happy with that, because she was only given a house and then she decides to find ways to kill his son in order to get hold of the money. Zoliswa used Pastor Ngema to do the dirty work, she instructed Pastor Ngema to convince Zweli to transfer the money to her account. Zweli knew the set up and used his father’s old plan the Purple Apple to find the real truth.
First published in 2002, the play tells a complex South African story exploring subtle issues of family, siblings, rivalry, truth, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation.
A poignant, bunraku-style puppet play for older children and adults based on the life of Sadako Sasaki. At two, Sadako survived the Hiroshima atom bomb but ten years later developed leukemia. A Japanese legend tells: ‘if you fold 1000 origami cranes, your wish will be granted’; Sadako began folding paper.
We leave our children a complicated legacy, growing up in a world where they face the consequences of adults’ actions: war; nuclear power; global warming; HIV. Sadako’s experience transcends culture and period and is able to speak to a contemporary South African or French youth audience. Young people who have shifted from picture books to art galleries; from nursery-rhymes to pop music. They are ready for theatre that can offer them cathartic and transformative experiences; challenge them with profoundly moving and thought provoking ideas. Sadako is real theatre for young people.
Ubom! is back with THE WANGAI! directed by Andrew Buckland and Noxolo Donyeli. This Lorax-inspired story is a dazzling, clever and action-packed theatre adventure for the whole family! It is an electrically charged, zany, multi-coloured, and flavoursome story of friendship, difference, adventure and magic! Taking inspiration from Nobel Peace prize winner, Wangari Maathai, who spoke for the trees, Ubom! creates a little hero, “The Wangai”, who goes on an ecological adventure with the earnest desire to protect his luscious Eastern Cape habitat from an eager young entrepreneur whose eyes are too focused on ‘Commercial Success’ without regard for the extraordinary natural balance of the environment.
Germinating and growing out of local Eastern Cape history, ecology, culture and contemporary world views the result is a vibrant, exciting theatre work which can be accessed and enjoyed by children and adults from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.
And so the wondrous manipulation of language, rhythm, character and fantastical locale which so characterizes Dr Seuss’s work is honoured in a version of the story that offers the possibility of a world inhabited by people and creatures who care for each other and for the planet on which we depend.
An adaptation of Paul Gallico’s classic novella The Snow Goose. Tells the story of storm tossed snow goose who brings together a young girl, Frith, and a reclusive hunchback outcast, Rhayader, together. Set against the second world war and the miracle of Dunkirk. The Snow Goose is a story about bravery and friendship.
Produced by KBT Productions, directed and designed by Jenine Collocott (Sunday Morning, Dirt, A Day in the Desert, High Diving), performed by James Cairns (Dirt, Three Little Pigs) and Taryn Bennett (Kaput!), adapted by the director and the cast.