Sie Weiss Alless

Every year a stork migrates from the lush Dutch landscape to the deep warm South of Africa. He knows lots of stories. One of which is the true story about Nongqawuse, a 15 year old Xhosa girl that radically changed the history of the Xhosa people. One day Nongqawuse comes back from the river. She tells that the ancestors appeared to her with the prophecy that the dead will arise, the white people and unbelievers will be driven into the sea and the once powerful Xhosa people will be as strong as before. To make this happen they have to kill all their cattle and burn all their grain. This prophecy brings hope to the people. They are tormented by colonial wars and mysterious cattle diseases. But it also brings discord among the Xhosa people, manipulation and betrayal and in the end a terrible famine. Everyone points at Nongqawuse. But was she really the cause of the disaster that ensued? Maybe this mystery can never be unravelled. Everyone has his interpretation of the facts. Will a bird with homes in both hemispheres ever be able to understand?

Red Earth is a co-production with Speeltheater Holland and premiered in Grahamstown 2006 and was later performed in the Netherlands more than 200 times. In 2013 Red Earth will be on tour in South Africa.

Doctor Collinger’s Funeral Service, directed by the celebrated Janet Buckland, and starring Daniel Buckland (The Travellers 2005) and Taryn Bennett (Frogs 2007). This exciting work played to packed houses, enjoyed acclaim by critics and was the talking point of the 2007 National Arts Festival. Embark on a dark, hilarious and exhilarating adventure; through death, love and laughter.

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.

Children who suffer at the hands of adults often have no idea that they have rights and what better way to teach them through a story?

Vulnerable children and good adults are mesmerized by this adventure. They become emotionally involved as they watch the ‘baddies’ denying basic rights to the children they have taken prisoner.  Being part of this highly interactive show, makes them feel:

• excited when Themba is told he must find his Inheritance,
• empathy when he is captured and used as a slave with other children,
• appalled by the greedy gluttons who scoff at the notion that everyone is equal in South Africa, even children,
• warmed by the loving guidance of the guardian angel,
• repulsed by the anti-heroes,
• shocked when Themba stands up for his rights and his fellow prisoners,
• angry when the bad guy tries to hurt Themba,
• protective of the children when they escape,
• and delighted when Themba triumphs and the rights of children which is their real inheritance are indelibly imprinted in their minds and emotions.

The children in the story triumph over the abusers in the end which gives them the courage they need to speak out.  The more children who can see this show the better.

iLifa was inspired by the 40th anniversary of the National Arts Festival and the 20th anniversary of our Democratic Constitution.

Prodigal is an entertaining, moving, absorbing one-man play telling a universally accessible story of loss, love and guilt. It is marked by a powerhouse performance from Tim Redpath, incorporating elements of mime and physical comedy. Written by Lorraine Knox and directed by Dani Marais.

Luke is a poor farmer’s son who rejects family and home in a gamble for quick cash and prestige in the seedy underbelly of Jo’burg. In this coming of age tale Tim Redpath’s split-second character changes take us on a rollercoaster ride of rebellion, pride and sacrifice.

Prodigal played an extended run to packed houses and standing ovations at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in July 2006 and 2007. In 2009 Prodigal had successful runs in Oxford and London and at the Edinburgh Festival where Tim won the Sweet Venue Best Actor Award for his performance. In March 2010 Prodigal returned to Oxford for a run at the Oxfringe Festival.

A deftly plotted modern classic, Prodigal follows the tale of a young Eastern Cape farm boy as he decides to leave home and seek his fortune in the fast-paced city of Jo’burg, South Africa. Snappy dialogue, split-second character changes, strong physical acting and innovative directing enables one man to bring a fantastic cast of characters to life. From a story-telling Xhosa woman to a morally dubious Middle-Eastern restaurant owner to an opinionated professor to a shady gangster, Redpath’s vocal and physical dexterity takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride of pride, prejudice and sacrifice.

Despite being predominantly French-speaking, Cameroonian audiences were charmed and entertained by the new South African children’s musical Snake Magic when it was staged in Yaounde recently as part of an international arts festival.

“It is a work that is able to transcend language through its use of puppetry and music and seems to enjoy a universal appeal,” says its creator, well-known Cape musician Heather Mac.

Adapted from an African legend, the play was selected for staging at the African Festival of Children’s Theatre in Cameroon last month. “As only 20% of the population speaks English, we were concerned that some of the children may not understand the narrative. I was delighted to be proven wrong,” she laughs.

Mac relates that Cameroonian children became so emotionally engaged with the story, that during one performance in a scene when one of the characters is frightened, audience members stood up and told her how sorry they were. “Some even gave the cast member fruit and snacks to help her! It brought tears to my eyes that in country where poverty surrounds everybody, such generosity exists.”

Snake Magic features Deon Nebulane, Lindelwa Kisana and David Muller is currently on at the Baxter’s Sanlam Studio at 11am until December 20.

During its first run at the Kalk Bay Theatre earlier this year, critics were extremely complimentary about the way Mac has breathed life into this uniquely African tale. “We’ve basically integrated a vibrant musical score with an adventure-filled story and in the process we’ve created the ideal holiday fare for the whole family,” she says.

Mac and the cast feel the show has grown since its first staging and believe its new incarnation and has been polished in such a way that it gets children in the audience to really engage with its underlying message. “Snake Magic tackles many different current issues that face children today, namely bullying, jealousy, gender conflict, animal rights and conservation,” says Heather.

“We hope that the play is one of the ways we can help nurture respect within children by highlighting the value of their environment, ‘mother earth’ and the importance of being kind, honest and caring within our family and our community.”

!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.