This production deals with HIV/AIDS and tells the story of 12 year old Vuyo, a hero with a big dream. He is the best singer in his choir and when he grows up he wants to be a choir master, perhaps even lead his own choir to participate in national competitions. Vuyo has a obstacle between him and his goals – his father is very sick. With homework and the extra responsibilities of caring for his father, he has no time to attend choir practice. He deals with the teasing and bullying of other children when they find out that his father is HIV positive. To reach his goal he will have to conquer a monster (iRhamncwa), a personification of fear and shame about HIV/AIDS. The story is about resilience, courage and determination, about not giving up and striving for a dream.
Inja ka Vuyo
Moya is a young rising soccer star, his goal scoring record has made him a hero in his township. He has an asthma attack during training and ends up in hospital, where Moya has a nightmare about a Death Monster who feeds on smoke and pollution. Unable to play soccer, Moya is dropped from his team and loses the affections of his bling-bling girlfriend. Determined to find out the causes of his misfortune, Moya embarks on a journey of discovery into the causes of air pollution and the threat of climate change. He finds ways to heal himself and his environment and destroys the Death Monster.
Moya meets different characters who give him advice and information. He confronts industrial giants and meets the municipal air quality management team and finds out about local by-laws. With a new outlook on life he finds a new sustainable lifestyle.
Moya – The Air We Breathe is 45 minutes in duration and is suitable for Grades 8-12. An accompanying drama skills workshop of 45 minutes is also available. It was developed for a high school audience for the City of Cape Town’s Environmental Resource Management Department and was performed at 10 high schools for Air Quality Week in February 2008. Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning commissioned a reduced version for their 2 Precious 2 Pollute Campaign in 2010.
Currently starring: Unathi Speelman, Nelson Chileshe Musonda, Mfundo Hashe and Ntombifuthi Mkhasibe.
Rubbish Wrap uses waste as a resource for the imagination. A talking tree’s leaves make homes for worms. A bottle top shark sings “Free the Sea!!” A magical musical recycling machine lets some surprises emerge at the other end.
Rubbish Wrap is a play about the creation and cycle of waste and the transfer of energy in nature’s own recycling system from one organism to another through the food chain. It contrasts the chain of consumption from raw materials to the dump sites of the industrialised world. The play enables learners to break the consumption and waste cycle through participation, fostering efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Rubbish Wrap is 45 minutes in duration and is suitable for Grades 4-9.
Jungle Theatre Company was commissioned by City of Cape Town Environmental Resource Management Department to create a short 20 min play to complement the waste chapter in The Smart Living Handbook in 2008. Rubbish Wrap was toured to schools as part of the Youth Environmental Schools’ (YES) Waste Wise Week in 2008 and 2009 and was accompanied by a 45 minute workshop. For the YES Blue Flag beach programme in March 2009, which focussed on marine and coastal pollution, the play and workshop were combined in a 45 minute interactive play and returned to the Blue Flag campaign in 2011.
Currently starring:
Unathi Speelman; Mfundo Hashe and Vincent Meyburgh.
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.