Sie Weiss Alless
Molalatladi is chosen by his villagers to be the new leader of the village after defeating the Ogres that terrorized and oppressed them for years. He wants to lead his village and create a better life for them but Ogres plant a seed of greed in his head. This leads to his downfall.
Foursight explores a High-school killing a year after the event and is told through the experiences of 4 characters. In attempting to understand how and why it happened the play cracks open the shells of our education system, bullying in schools, the media, the teenage mind and the role of absent the parent, who is willing to take responsibility? The play tackles identity, prejudice, self-image, violence, abuse and tolerance. Few stones are left unturned.
Award-winning theatre director Sylvaine Strike directs The Butcher Brothers, a simple heart-felt story that tells, with stunning clarity, how a seemingly small event can turn peoples’ lives upside down. Set in 1950 South Africa, a tiny family butchery is run by a prematurely retired ballroom dancer and his ever loyal servant, Boy. The rigid routine of their lives is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of a slumberous parcel. Strike directs a deliciously macabre and bloody tale in collaboration with Dark Laugh Theatre Company. Exquisitely performed in mask by Mongi Mthombeni and Jaques de Silva, this one hour epic will delight and intrigue even the most die-hard vegetarian.
Focusing on whales, this high energy physical theatre show explores the comparisons between whales and humans and lets us in on some of the secrets of these mysterious creatures of the deep.
The wondering whale watchers are on a quest to be like whales as they swirl their audience into an exciting adventure of juggling to catch food, bubbling underwater music and receiving e-whales from a whale called Wonder.
They explore the relationship between whales and people through the ages and look at how these beautiful creatures communicate, what they eat and how they form part of the ecology of the planet.
Through this fun adventure for the whole family the wondering whale watchers discover a new way forward for the relationship between whales and people.
This show was originally created by Jungle Theatre Company in 2001.
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.
A girl discovers a world under the sea: Riding on the spotty whale shark, chatting with the clever hammer head and singing with the colourful cat shark. Danger lurks around every corner and she learns some secrets of the deep.
Partly based on Lesley Rochat’s ‘Sue Finds Happy Eddie the Shy Shark’, Shark Dreams tells a local tale about a girl whose love for the sea takes her on a magical shark adventure. Shark Dreams showcases the many different types of sharks and educates young people about ocean and beach safety including: the role of the shark spotters in protecting beach goers; the meaning of the flags on the beaches; critical safety tips when swimming and using the beach. The play creates understanding and awareness about the important role sharks play in marine ecosystems and the food chain and dispels myths created through misinformation and hearsay.
Shark Dreams is 45 minutes in duration and is suitable for Grades 4-9
“Exquisite costumes and brilliant acting skills.” Strand Moslem School
Shark Dreams was created in 2009 in conjunction with the Save Our Seas Shark Centre for City of Cape Town’s Environmental Resource Management Department’s Youth Environmental Schools (YES) programme. Shark Dreams was rolled out as an outreach programme to schools in Cape Town’s south peninsula; performed for World Environment Week and Marine Week in 2009 as well as the Blue Flag Beach campaign in 2010. The AfriOceans Conservation Alliance has also provided funding for community and schools outreach performances. Shark Dreams has also been performed at the Marine and Coastal Educators Network conferences where it has received a standing ovation.
Currently starring:
Nimray Kruger, Unathi Speelman, Simric Yarrow and Vincent Meyburgh.
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.
American Fullbright scholar Amy Biehl is killed in the Gugulethu township of Cape Town: it’s a senseless murder, carried out by four youths. The mother of one of them tries to make sense of it all by recounting events in an imaginary conversation with Amy’s mother. It’s a real ‘heart to heart’ communication of personal testimony in an imaginary response to this real event, showing how one unforgiving moment in an ordinary day had repercussions beyond the imaginable. Mother to Mother tells a powerfully moving story of forgiveness, reconciliation and understanding across cultures and continents.
Performer: Thembi Mtshali-Jones
Workshops: There will be a talk-back with learners after the show for 20-30 minutes.