Afropocalypse

Afropocalypse

Imaginative and Allegorical Play – Afropocalypse – Returns to Jo’burg

The award-winning production “Afropocalypse” returns to Jo’burg after a critically acclaimed run at the 2025 National Arts Festival, where it won the festival’s highest Fringe accolade—the Standard Bank Gold Ovation Award. Running at The Market Theatre from 19 November – 7 December 2025, this energetic and hugely imaginative production follows the journey of a group of storytellers in an apocalyptic setting as they share their fables of hope and resilience.

We’re all used to apocalyptic imaginings, but what would an apocalypse in the African context look like? How would its survivors tell the story as they rise from the ruins?

Directed by Daniel Buckland, “Afropocalypse” was originally produced by The Market Theatre Laboratory as their student production in 2024. It played to sold-out runs at The Ramolao Makhene Theatre, becoming a hit and instant favourite for audiences. The fourteen-strong ensemble now present the work in their professional debut in the Mannie Manim Theatre at The Market Theatre. The brilliantly entertaining work uses physical comedy and tragic magic realism to paint a vivid and vibrant picture of the past, present and speculative future. The stories they tell are inspired by a myriad of South African voices, from Credo Mutwa to Jan Rabie, to our shared collection of modern South African myths and fables, all interwoven in a comical tapestry of catastrophe and release.

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“This is a mischievous and vibrant look at South African society through the lens of all the weird and wonderful ways it could come to an end. The show uses dynamic and joyous ensemble storytelling, with bucket loads of physical comedy, puppetry and storytelling, to paint a vivid picture of the fallibility of humankind, as well as the resilience and creativity of the human spirit. The story leans into joy and tragedy. The idea of an apocalypse is a dark subject matter and framing, the story itself is not only about that. It’s a fun, silly platform to poke fun at contemporary society and take all the delicate bits of South Africa and satirise them,” explained Buckland.

Greg Homann, Artistic Director at The Market Theatre Foundation, said staging the production is an opportunity to celebrate the journey it has gone on, highlighted by winning the highest accolade in the National Arts Festival fringe programme – the Standard Bank Gold Ovation Award. Homann further stressed that the show is a family-friendly offering perfect for winding down after a long year.

Homann adds, “This is a show young and old should look forward to watching. Its youthful energy combined with imaginative storytelling make for an entertaining, relaxing treat best enjoyed with loved ones and in groups. It’s a wonderful work, with an impressive balance of dark and more bleak moments mixed in with joy and hope.”

If you are craving theatre that’s out of this world, then “Afropocalypse” is here for that. Travel to a time yet to come and immerse yourself in stories untold.

Tickets are available on Webtickets starting from R110, with special discounts for the preview performance, for groups of four or more, and with all Wednesdays at half-price.

Affordable, safe and secure underground parking is available at the Newtown Junction.

                                                                                                                                                   ENDS.

The Market Theatre is a Division of The Market Theatre Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.

 For reduced price block bookings (of 10 or more) and school groups, contact Anthony Ezeoke (Audience Development) at AnthonyE@markettheatre.co.za or 083 246 4950.

For media enquiries, please contact Bongiwe Potelwa (Publicist at the Market Theatre Foundation) at bongiwep@markettheatre.co.za or (011) 832 1641.

THIS IS WHO I AM

THIS IS WHO I AM

British High Commission and Windybrow Arts Centre present 

London Artists Projects

THIS IS WHO I AM

South African premiere

This Is Who I Am is a theatrical journey into Hillbrow and beyond, a place where history and present collide with contradictory illusions and dreams of a mercurial South Africa. A storied, yet troubled inner-city area of Johannesburg, Hillbrow remains a safe harbour for an ever-changing mix of iconoclasts.

Imbued with all the power and the passion of deeply personal real-life stories, ten Hillbrow artists and participants express the truth of their lived experience in their own five-hundred-word monologue in response to the title. Lives of abuse, alienation, disability, violence, and xenophobia connect in a mosaic of hope and resistance that demands justice and the right to a better future. 

This Is Who I Am is an ongoing multidisciplinary, intercultural arts platform featuring live and online performances, photo portraits, exhibitions, workshops and dialogue between artists from London Artists Projects in the UK and Windybrow Arts Centre in Hillbrow, South Africa.

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Launching as part of the G20 Culture Ministerial in South Africa, This Is Who I Am is part of UKwithSA cultural exchange and the British High Commission’s commitment to diversity and equality by drawing on the transformative power of the arts to contribute to wider access and inclusion in collaboration with local partners.

This Is Who I Am is the companion work to Jeremy Goldstein’s Truth to Power Café. Both works are inspired by the political and philosophical beliefs of Nobel Prize winning playwright Harold Pinter and his inner circle, The Hackney Gang, who included Jeremy’s late father, Mick Goldstein, and poet and actor Henry Woolf, whose original poetry bejewels the work.

“Revolutionary theatre at its best and most direct” 

Guardian on Truth to Power Café

This Is Who I Am is a London Artists Projects and Windybrow Arts Centre co-production commissioned by British High Commission South Africa with support from Canon South Africa 

Hillbrow artists and participants:

Gcebile Dlamini, Simphiwe Dube, Reneilwe Leopeng, Tshiyeya Kalombo, Minenhle Masina, Hlengiwe Masondo, Thabang Matsaung, Sandiso Mbatha, Tyson Nkala, Caleb Nyanguila

Artistic team:

Created by Jeremy Goldstein for London Artists Projects

Original score by DYSKINETIC

Co-directed by Jeremy Goldstein and Jaden Mmokwa Oratile Mosadi

Media Editor Flick Harrison 

Photo Portraits by Roger Machin and Quintin Mills 

Videography by Presley Mpofu and Sandile Daniel Radebe

Sound Recordist Tumelo Mosenogi

Behind the Scenes Photography by Kopano Lebotse

Dramaturgy and Workshop Facilitation Stacy Hardy (Creative Writing, Wits University)

Script Consultant Chris Thompson

Executive Producer 

Dr Sarah Meisch Lionetto, MBE 
Public Diplomacy – Head of Arts, Culture & Sports
British High Commission, South Africa
 

Performances contain stories of lived experience that include trauma, political stances and adult themes. 

Audience age: 14+ – parental guidance recommended

Photo: Roger Machin and Quintin Mills

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Kaza Kamba Pan African Theatre Festival returns to the market for its 2nd reiteration

Kaza Kamba Pan African Theatre Festival Returns to The Market for its 2nd iteration

The Market Theatre and mehlo-maya (eye-to-the-sun) have once again partnered for the four-day festival of theatre, music, workshops, film screenings and talks, curated by Bobby Rodwell and Lesego Rampolokeng. This dynamic new festival, which takes place from 06 – 09 November 2025, brings together the arts and the political discourse.

The festival features seven Southern African countries, making it a very critical cross-border initiative aimed at strengthening ties between countries. Again, it gives audiences an opportunity to immerse themselves in the stories of our sub-region.

An installation speaking to the history of Pan Africanism opens on Thursday, 04 September in The Market Theatre’s Lindelani Buthelezi Gallery, setting the tone for the festival.

Mainlining at the festival is “Lyrics Unchained on website / webtickets”, in which South Africa meets Zimbabwe meets Lesotho in a blend of poetry and percussion, featuring poets Matodzi Ramashia (Makhafula Vilakazi) from South Africa, Mercy Dhliwayo (sista x) from Zimbabwe, naledi chai (zeph) South Africa and Lesotho’sThabiso Mohapeloa (Tha Hymphatic Thabs). Musicians Louis Mhlanga (Guitar) and Gontse Makhene (Percussion) join the production, hosted by poet Lesego Rampolokeng.

BUY TICKETS BELOW:

Kaza Kamba Festival LYRICS UNCHAINED : https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1577437811

Kaza Kamba Festival Setimo Juramento: https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1577431186

Mozambican Producer Joaquim Matavel of Grupo de Teatro Girassol brings “Setimo Juramento / Seventh Oath”, written by Paulina Chiziane and directed by Ramadane Matusse. Paulo Jamine plays a character who traverses dark worlds in search of a new global identity – one that offers wellbeing, social justices and love – through storytelling, poetry and movement, offering provocations for a better world. The piece is in Portuguese, with English sub-titles.

Workshops over the four days include a performance dance workshop, “Barena: Reimagined” by Smangaliso Ngwenya, “Finding My Voice, Speaking My Truth”, Directing for Theatre by Liatile Mohale of Lesotho, a dance workshop on gender based violence, “Still We Dance” by choreographer Gaby Saranouffi from Madagascar, the Somatic Library workshop on voice by Mpho Malesa and Gifter Ngobeni, and “gubhu seNtshomi (Djembe of Stories)”. There will also be a workshop for young people, facilitated by Sibusiso ‘Vonde-r’ Fihlani, and one for the very young, our Baby Corner, for adults who wish to attend workshops or films.

 

Our films are: “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” [2024], a film by Johan Grimonprez that examines the political machinations behind the 1961 assassination of Congolese leader, Patrice Lumumba and “Dying for Gold” [2018] that focuses on the impact of Gold Mining in the SADC region, produced by Richard Pakleppa and Catherine Meyburgh. There will be panel discussions with the screenings of both documentaries.

A film showing and discussion on the situation in Sudan will be held by members of Sudanese solidarity groups.

The Kaza Kamba Colloquium this year will be held on Saturday, 08 November 2025, “Decolonising the Theatre Space” to be presented by Warona Seane, who will engage with theatre producers from the sub-region.

Our late evenings will be spent at our Kaza Kamba Pavement café in The Market Theatre Precinct, with music and an open mic and lots of lovely food and drink to purchase.

In short, there is a lot to see, experience and debate at Kaza Kamba Pan African Theatre Festival 2025.

All documentary films and workshops are FREE. Tickets for our play and “Lyrics Unchained” are on Webtickets.

There will be food and drinks for sale throughout the day, as well as stalls with books and other delights.

Come down to The Market Theatre from 06 – 09 November 2025 for a weekend of live performances, film, workshops and debate on Pan Africanism. Everyone is most welcome!

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For enquiries, please contact Bongiwe Potelwa (Publicist at The Market Theatre Foundation) at bongiwep@marketheatre.co.za or (011) 832 1641.

For reduced price block bookings (of 10 or more) and school groups, contact Anthony Ezeoke (Audience Development) at AnthonyE@markettheatre.co.za or 083 246 4950 or Mamello Khomongoe mamellok@markettheatre.co.za 0815729612.

Pride Month at The Market Theatre Kippies Fringe

Pride Month at The Market Theatre Kippies Fringe

Paint-On-Stage Productions in association with The Art Cave and The Market Theatre Kippies Fringe present ‘The Queer In The Queue’, a bold and intimate portrait of queer love in the face of rejection and red tape by Jason Wheeler, starring performer Luke Ness playing multiple characters.

The play runs from 2 – 5 October 2025 at 19:30pm, with two matinees at 3:30pm over the weekend in the 50-seater fringe venue.

Curated by The Art Cave in celebration of Pride Month, ‘The Queer In The Queue’ follows a newly married gay man trying to change to a new name; one name that changes everything. “In this deeply moving and sharply humorous solo performance, a gay man sits in the dreaded Home Affairs queue, paperwork in hand, ready to change his surname to that of his beloved husband. But what begins as a bureaucratic chore becomes a heartfelt excavation or memory, identity, and family. As he inches forward in the line, the protagonist unpacks his complicated-relationship with his father, the scars of homophobia, and the bittersweet triumph of reclaiming his name, not just legally, but emotionally and spiritually,” explains writer and director, Jason Wheeler.

Staged with innovative intimacy, the audience is seated in a U-shape formation, mimicking the very queue our character finds himself in. With no fourth wall to hide behind, the audience becomes the other citizens in line, witnessing his story unfold step by step. In the centre of this space lies memory itself, a performance zone where the character relives moments from his life with poignancy and poetic insight. 

Wheeler – an emerging playwright – brings his  wit, nuance and emotional range to this highly personal work. Following the acclaim of his previous works, ‘The Marvellous Mr Moffie’, ‘4:59’ and ‘Birds of a Feather’, Wheeler continues to explore queer identity, vulnerability and the pursuit of dignity with unflinching honesty. In 2024, Wheeler was appointed Associate Playwright at The Market Theatre and won the STAND (Sustaining Theatre and Dance Foundation) Global South Playwright Competition.

The play’s solo performer, Ness, recently graduated with distinction from the University of Witwatersrand, and has numerous roles under his belt, including Hally in Fugard’s ‘Master Harold and the Boys’, Gigi in ‘Bobo Eats Sand’ and Doctor A in the absurdist piece, ‘The Patient’.

Presented during The Art Cave’s Pride and Identity Spotlight this October, ‘The Queer In The Queue’ is more than a play about changing a surname; it’s about changing the story we tell ourselves, and finding freedom in the truth of who we are. “In many ways, queer lives are suffocated by a bureaucracy that turns a blind eye on the many queers in the queue looking for dignity. There’s no better way to mark Pride Month than tackling real issues facing the queer community in an entertaining yet meaningful way, which is what this play offers,” says The Art Cave, curators of The Market Theatre Kippies Fringe.

Tickets for the 5 performances are available on Webtickets for R100.

ENDS

Kippies Fringe is an initiative of The Market Theatre, curated by Art Cave.

The Market Theatre is a Division of The Market Theatre Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.

For media enquiries, please contact Bongiwe Potelwa (Publicist at The Market Theatre Foundation) at bongiwep@markettheatre.co.za or (011) 832 1641.

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Bold and Provocative Work Spotlights Queer Love

Bold and Provocative Work Spotlights Queer Love

Unheard and often suppressed Queer voices are set for their moment of truth, as Vuyelwa Maluleke presents her bold, visceral poem-in-chorus – ‘The Blue Album’ – at The Market Theatre Kippies Fringe. Written and performed by Vuyelwa Maluleke, the show will run at Kippies for a total of five performances, from 21 – 24 August 2025.

 ‘The Blue Album’ fuses poetry, monologue, movement and choral voice to stage an intimate portrait of Queer life and love in the township of Makaleng. It traces the homecoming of Khumo, a young Lesbian woman, as she confronts the afterlife of a traumatic incident and the piercing silence of her community.

Maluleke navigates the complex terrain of public erasures and private reckonings, offering a story that is as lyrically tender as it is politically defiant, disrupting societal norms of love and who deserves it. The work further reimagines the meaning of love, reclaiming it from the often commercialised romance and relocating it in community.

 

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As this new piece dares to centre Black Queer love and survival in spaces where it is often unwelcome, it arrives at the key question: What is left behind when home becomes the mouth of a man? With profound urgency and agency, the piece navigates  the borders of love and danger, memory and survival. Weaving intimate monologues with the public silences of township life, Maluleke exposes with aching precision the slow violence’s Black Queer Women endure.

“This piece is an attempt to make visible the revolutionary remedies of Black Queer love. I wanted to write something that would not only testify to Khumo’s survival, but sing of its sweetness and cast back the light of all of us. This is a ritual. A return. A resistance,” explains Maluleke.

Maluleke is an actor, lecturer and writer with an MA in Creative Writing (with distinction) from Rhodes University, and a BA in Dramatic Arts from the University of Witwatersrand. A runner-up for the 5th Gerald Kraak Prize, Maluleke was also shortlisted for the Kelsey Street Press QTBIPOC Prize for the manuscript ‘Falling Toward the Centre’ (2021) as well as The Sillerman First Book Prize for ‘The Blue Album’ manuscript (2021).

Again, she was a semi-finalist in the Boston Annual Poetry Contest (2020), and has worked with directors such as Sylvaine Strike, James Ngcobo and Jo Bonney. Her most notable performances are from the television production of ‘Shreds and Dreams 2’ and national touring theatre productions of ‘Tartuffe’ and ‘Emotional Creature: it’s a girl thing’.

ENDS.

Kippies Fringe is an initiative of The Market Theatre, curated by Art Cave.

The Market Theatre is a Division of The Market Theatre Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.

For media enquiries, please contact Bongiwe Potelwa (Publicist at The Market Theatre Foundation) at bongiwep@markettheatre.co.za or (011) 832 1641.

For reduced price block bookings of 10 or more and school groups, contact Anthony Ezeoke (Audience Development Specialist at The Market Theatre Foundation) at anthonye@markettheatre.co.za or 083 246 4950.

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Breakfast with Mugabe

Breakfast with Mugabe

“Breakfast with Mugabe” is a National Arts Festival, The Market Theatre and Festival Enterprise Catalyst (FEC) co-production, in association with the Calvin Ratladi Foundation. This gripping psychological thriller is directed by Calvin Ratladi, 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre.

It is set in the final years of Robert Mugabe’s rule in Zimbabwe. Inspired by real events, Fraser Grace’s award-winning play explores the troubled mind of the once-revered leader as he battles inner demons and political paranoia. Haunted by a malevolent spirit, Mugabe reluctantly seeks the help of a white psychiatrist, leading to a tense and dangerous power struggle. Following its South African premiere at the National Arts Festival, this riveting production comes to The Market Theatre, delving into themes of power, fear, and the ghosts of history. Directed by Calvin Ratladi, with a brilliant cast and searing dialogue, “Breakfast with Mugabe” offers a chilling glimpse into the psyche of a man clinging to control. Don’t miss this compelling drama that resonates far beyond Zimbabwe’s borders.

The Festival Enterprise Catalyst (FEC) project is a joint initiative by the National Arts Festival, Nasionale Afrikaanse Teater-inisiatief (NATi), Concerts SA, SAMRO, Woordfees, Aardklop, Suidoosterfees, KKNK and the Tribuo Fund with support from the Jobs Fund and contributing funding from Standard Bank South Africa.

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Phakamisa Dance Commission

Phakamisa Dance Commission

This is a National Arts Festival, The Market Theatre and JOMBA! Dance Festival (Centre for Creative Arts) co-production, with contributing funding from Standard Bank South Africa. It is choreographed by Asanda Ruda, 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist for Dance and recipient of the 2025 CCA JOMBA! and The Market Theatre Phakamisa Dance Commission. Asanda Ruda is presented as part of a double bill at the Market Theatre Foundation

Titled the Phakamisa Dance Commission – with reference to the isiZulu idea of lifting up and holding – this joint commission is an ongoing commitment to the illustrious JOMBAand The Market Theatre partnership – started in 2023 to grow and support South African dance. As an extension of JOMBA@ The Market, the second instalment of the innovative joint commission will be presented by this year’s recipient, Soweto-born Asanda Ruda.

The two dance pieces taking the stage are:

KEMET – Black Lands: A solo work that traverses generational alienation, political defiance, and personal emancipation. Rooted in Afro-contemporary expression, it navigates the intersections of space, politics, and culture, transforming the body into a vessel of ancestral memory and self-liberation. Ruda’s movement affirms presence in a world that often marginalises difference.

Alkamal Walkamal Almutlaq or Completeness and Absolute Wholeness (ancient Arabic), explores the eternal bond between spirit and soul. It delves into how these elements interconnect to heal and revive. Ethereal Afro-contemporary movement and symbolic rituals invite audiences to contemplate love, health, and balance.

The commission aims to support and make space for innovative and provocative South African dance makers. For one week only, this is a chance for audiences to see the work of one of South Africa’s most exciting dance-makers.

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A Tribute to Athol Fugard from the Market Theatre Foundation

A Tribute to Athol Fugard from the Market Theatre Foundation

The Market Theatre joins the world in mourning the passing of Athol Fugard, a titan of South African and world theatre whose voice and vision shaped the landscape of storytelling both at home and abroad.

Fugard’s unflinching commitment to truth, justice, and the act of witnessing through theatre resonated deeply within the Market Theatre’s walls, where his plays found a natural home and a passionate audience. His long list of remarkable works – Boesman and Lena, “Master Harold”… and the Boys, The Road to Mecca, People are Living There, Hello & Goodbye, Nongogo among many others – confronted what it is to be human in an imperfect world, and offered a study of relationships that are unsurpassed. His collaborative plays, with the likes of John Kani and Winston Ntshona, like Sizwe Bansi is Dead and The Island challenged injustice and held a mirror to our society that was recognised globally.

As an artist, his words carried the weight of history and the depth of lived experience. As a playwright, his legacy continues to inspire generations of playwrights who strive to tell stories with courage and conviction.

The Market Theatre Foundation acknowledges Athol Fugard’s immeasurable contribution to the stage and to the fight for a more just world. Our theatre and society would be a lesser space without him. His passing marks the end of a life lived so wholeheartedly for our theatre, and his influence will endure with every audience moved by the power of theatre.

We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who loved and admired him.

RIP Athol Fugard. Your words live on.

 

The Good White

The Good White

The Good White Confronts South Africa’s Non-Racial Project

The Market Theatre in partnership with Suidoosterfees is proud to present ‘The Good White’, a bold new play by acclaimed South African playwright Mike van Graan. Premiering in Cape Town for two performances only on 1 and 2 May at the Suidoosterfees, this gripping drama then runs from 8 May to 1 June 2025 at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg.

Set in 2016 during the height of the #FeesMustFall protests – a time when South African students were demanding free, decolonised education while the country was reeling from political scandals and corruption – the play brings together four sharply drawn characters, portrayed by an all-star cast: Russel Savadier, Renate Stuurman, Vusi Kunene, and Shonisani Masutha. As the characters navigate a volatile social and political landscape, they are each pushed to re-examine what it means to live in a South African society still healing from its divided past.

At the centre of the play is Professor Simon Whitehead, who earned his credentials through his involvement in the anti-apartheid struggle. As a member of university senior management, he now faces a new generation that sees him not as an ally, but as part of the problem. 

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Van Graan’s script, which is his first multi-character work since ‘When Swallows Cry’ in 2018, doesn’t shy away from difficult questions. Instead, it leans into them with wit, honesty, and a sharp theatrical flair. The result is a piece that’s as entertaining as it is deeply affecting – one that challenges audiences to reflect on the idea of non-racialism and the promise of a truly equal society.

Van Graan expresses excitement over his return to The Market Theatre to stage a multi-character play for the first time post-COVID, further stressing the impact of the pandemic on independent theatre-makers like him. Being able to once again stage a multi-character piece is therefore a significant moment for the renowned playwright. “As an independent theatre-maker, I’ve concentrated on recovery through one-person shows that are portable, cost-effective and yet with good income-generating potential. ‘The Good White’ is the first multi-character play I’ve had staged since 2018, so I’m extremely grateful to The Market Theatre, Die Suidoosterfees and the National Afrikaans Theatre Initiative for co-producing it,” states van Graan.

Directed by award-winning theatre-maker Greg Homann, who also serves as the Artistic Director of The Market Theatre Foundation, ‘The Good White’ dives headfirst into the uncomfortable but necessary conversations around race, privilege, and South Africa’s ongoing struggle with inequality.

‘The Good White’ forms part of a powerful theatrical reflection curated at The Market Theatre on the #FeesMustFall movement, now approaching its tenth anniversary. Also featured in this reflection is ‘The Fall’, which is currently on until 4 May 2025. ‘The Fall’ is a collaborative work created by former University of Cape Town students involved in the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall protests. Together, these two productions offer a layered and engaging look at how a generation of young South Africans is redefining activism and pushing for real transformation.

“Through ‘The Good White’ and ‘The Fall’, we’re creating a space to examine the ideals, the tensions, and the realities faced by young people in post-struggle South Africa. These plays are fiery and heartfelt, with a theatrical pulse that is dynamic and edgy. They speak to anyone who’s ever questioned their place in the country, or wanted to change it,” says Greg Homann.

Homann also points to the historical role of The Market Theatre as a home for protest theatre.

“As we approach our 50th anniversary in 2026, we’re reminded of our roots as a platform for bold, socially engaged storytelling. Just as the theatre was born out of the 1976 student uprisings, we see the Fallist movement as another defining moment that demands our attention – and our artistic response.”

Whether you lived through the protests or are learning about them now, ‘The Good White’ promises to be a gripping and illuminating experience. It invites audiences into a conversation that’s still unfolding – a conversation about justice, opportunity, and what it truly means to build a better, more inclusive South Africa.

Don’t miss this thrilling production. Tickets for the short premiere period at  Suidoosterfees and for The Market Theatre run across May are available via Webtickets. Half-price specials for all Wednesdays apply at The Market Theatre, as well as special discounts for preview performances and groups of four or more.

‘The Good White’ is a co-production between The Market Theatre and Suidoosterfees, with support from the National Afrikaans Theatre Initiative (NATi).

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The Market Theatre is a Division of The Market Theatre Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.

For media enquiries, please contact Bongiwe Potelwa (Publicist at the Market Theatre Foundation) at bongiwep@markettheatre.co.za or (011) 832 1641.  

For reduced price block bookings of 10 or more and school groups, contact Anthony Ezeoke (Audience Development Officer at The Market Theatre Foundation) at AnthonyE@markettheatre.co.za or 083 246 4950.

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Mantsopa

Mantsopa

New Mantsopa-Inspired Play With Music Celebrates the Resilience of African Women

Following a highly successful staged reading performed at The Market Theatre on 5 October 2024, “Mantsopa”, a play with music written and directed by veteran actor and theatre-maker, Dr. Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha, makes a return as a fully developed production, running for 10 performances from 30 April – 11 May.

Mantsopa, whose grave lies at Modderpoort in the eastern Free State, was born in 1793 and died in 1908. A survivor of famine and subsequent cannibalism, she grew to become a trusted advisor to King Moshoeshoe I, correctly predicting victorious battle outcomes for Basotho against colonial settlers and speaking truth to power with unshaking honesty. Mantsopa’s tale is interwoven with the very existence of Basotho, highlighting the immense contributions of women in shaping history. Gifted with sharp foresight and divine wisdom, she stands as a symbol of resilient femininity and a source of hope to many women battling structural limitations.

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In this brand new work, the story of diviner, seer and rainmaker, Mantsopa, is shared through the journey of her fictitious great-granddaughter, Tholoana, who has inherited the gift of song. Tholoana’s blossoming music career coincides with echoes from the spirit world to take her great-grandmother’s gift. As she struggles to reconcile the gift and the calling, Mantsopa’s towering greatness compassionately guides her through the internal conflict. Tholoana’s journey of refusing to be reduced to the entrapments of fame delivers a powerful message for women to claim their power.

Writer and director, Mofokeng wa Makhetha, calls the play with music both a contemporary interpretation of Mantsopa’s legacy using modern musical instruments that will appeal to a broad audience, and a celebration of the Basotho people more than 200 years since King Moshoeshoe I formed the nation.

“This production is a cultural journey into the heart of the Basotho people through one of our most extraordinary icons, Mantsopa, revered by all who witnessed the accuracy of her war-time prophecies and felt the first raindrops as she summoned the floodgates of heaven for rain. It is theatrically realised through a blend of dramatic action and musical storytelling, tapping into the traditions of Basotho as people of narrative, song and dance. The delivery appeals to the current times, allowing audiences to view Mantsopa from a modern perspective,” states Mofokeng wa Makhetha.      

Award-winning multilingual actress, Florence Masebe, takes on the role of “Mma-Tholoana”,  while one of Lesotho’s finest musical exports, Leomile, prepares to stir our heartstrings with soulful notes as “Tholoana”. Additionally, renowned actor Tseko Monaheng’s powerful voice adds depth to the story, with the little dynamite – Itumeleng – challenging him.  Lebohang Banyane returns to the play, after being part of the staged reading during its development phase last year. Accompanying and flavouring the story with music are Mawande Stuurman (on keyboards and musical direction) and the legendary Godfrey Mgcina (on percussion).

Come celebrate the transcendent life of an iconic woman, and the rich history of the beautiful Basotho nation.

Tickets for “Mantsopa” are available on Webtickets, with all Wednesdays at half-price. Special discounts are also available for preview performances and groups of four or more.

ENDS

The Market Theatre is a Division of The Market Theatre Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.

For media enquiries, please contact Bongiwe Potelwa (Publicist at the Market Theatre Foundation) at bongiwep@markettheatre.co.za or (011) 832 1641.  

For reduced price block bookings and school groups, contact Anthony Ezeoke (Audience Development) at AnthonyE@markettheatre.co.za or 083 246 4950.