Actor-director Hamilton Dhlamini regards the staging of Woza Albert! as an opportunity for the nation to sit back and reflect on its progress more than 30 years after democracy, especially in a high-stakes local government election year.

“Thematically, this play is about power and its (mis)use. We need responsible and accountable leadership who will honour the sacrifices of the past and deliver a better life for all. When it was created, it pierced sharply into the heart of apartheid. Its return is now an examination of the conduct of our current leadership. The piece is an important mobilising tool towards elections, reminding both leaders and the electorate of what the struggle has always been about: the people.”

“It is an immense honour,” Hamilton goes on, “to bring Mbongeni Ngema, Percy Mtwa and Barney Simon’s seminal piece to its original home. With this totally unmissable run, we’re not just reviving an old apartheid story; we’re confronting contemporary issues facing the nation in the new dispensation.”

At the height of apartheid in the ‘80s, which included the declaration of the State of Emergency alongside calls to make the country ungovernable through mass action, Woza Albert! commanded attention globally as a strong voice against the regime. Through impactful performances, the work contributed to the international condemnation of the system, proving how powerful art can be in giving language to people’s struggles.

Almost 50 years later, the play has enjoyed a prolific local and international life, with successful tours and rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival, Berlin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia and more.

It has also won numerous international awards and is now among South Africa’s stage classics read in schools nationally, and is studied worldwide.

About its return during the crucial 50^th birthyear of The Market Theatre, Artistic Director Greg Homann comments: “Woza Albert! is woven into the DNA of The Market Theatre. Created here in the early years of our existence, it stands as one of the seminal works that helped define both our stages and the South African story we have been home to for the past 50 years. Bringing it back now acknowledges where we come from as a nation, as well as how our story continues to evolve.”

Tickets for Woza Albert! 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 Sport, 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 staging of First Love, under the direction of Qondiswa James and with a performance by William Harding described as “a vocal and physical tour de force”, premiered at the POPArt Theatre in December 2025 to critical acclaim. The production focuses on a paired back, minimalist approach to the work, focusing on the symbiosis of performance and text, and using “Harding’s formidable physical theatre skills” (Bruce Dennill) to create a compact and commanding piece of theatre.

Qondiswa James is an award-winning theatre-maker, performance artist, film and theatre performer, installation artist, writer, arts facilitator and activist. Her directorial works include A Howl in Makhanda (Joburg Theatre), Amaxelegu (The Market Theatre), Emhlab’Obomvu (National Arts Festival) and Silindile, which was part of the UCT New Voices in 2017.

James was awarded the Theatre Arts Admin Collective’s Emerging Theatre Directors Bursary in 2018 for A Faint Patch of Light, a powerful re-interpretation of the legendary playwright Athol Fugard’s Statements After An Arrest Under The Immorality Act. That play was nominated in 2019 for 2 Fleur du Cap Awards for Best New Director and Best Actress.

William Harding interprets the role of Beckett’s nameless narrator. Over the last decade William has established himself as one of South African theatre’s most versatile character actors. His work include performing in William Kentridge’s productions of The Great Yes, the Great No and Houseboy (both of which toured globally).

Other works include Metamorphosis, performed at UJ Theatre and directed by Alby Michaels, as well as Tartuffe, The Miser, The Table, CARGO: Precious, Travels Around My Room all of which were directed by Sylvaine Strike, among other productions over the years. His work as a playwright include Tobacco and the Harmful Effects Thereof, The Cenotaph of Dan Wa Moriri (in collaboration with Tomy Miyambo and Gerard Bester), Kings of the World as well as And then the sea….

Submerge yourself in Beckett’s dark and brilliant imagination in First Love at the Kippies Fringe from the 6 – 9 August 2026. Tickets are out on Webtickets selling for R100. Bulk tickets can be purchased at The Market Theatre box office: 4 tickets at R350 and 8 tickets at R670.

                                                                                                             ENDS

The Kippies Fringe is an initiative of The Market Theatre, a division of The Market Theatre Foundation.

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.

“There is a real gap in children’s theatre in South Africa,” says Ntimbane. “Many children love live performance, and educational theatre helps them hold on to important lessons long after the show ends. I am passionate about going green and protecting our planet. These are global issues, and this play is my way of bringing them to life for young people.”

Philile Ntimbane is a playwright, scriptwriter and theatre producer with 16 years of experience in the South African arts industry. She holds an Honours degree in Dramatic Arts from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a Diploma from Durban University of Technology. She has a background in youth development and community arts, having worked within leading theatre institutions including Joburg City Theatres and The Playhouse Company in Durban. In 2023, she founded Phephanepeni (Pty) Ltd, a creative arts company focused on arts, culture and community development.

With a passion for arts education and experience working with schools and young audiences, Ntimbane has a deep understanding of how to connect with children and youth through storytelling and performance. Her works include Democrazy, a satirical play about South African democracy, following which she was invited as a playwright and collaborator to the 17th Drama for Life Conference and Festival at the University of the Witwatersrand in October 2025, as part of the Paper Series on Satire and Social Reflection in South African Theatre.

Zweli and the Lemon Seed was written by Philile Ntimbane and was part of the BASA Grant 2.0 pilot programme, which took place in Ngwelezane Township, north of KwaZulu-Natal.

Throughout its run, children will laugh, engage and leave with lessons they will never forget. Bring the whole family to Zweli and the Lemon Seed at Kippies from 30 July to 2 August 2026. Tickets are R100 on Webtickets. Bulk tickets can be purchased at The Market Theatre box office: 4 tickets at R350 and 8 tickets at R670.

ENDS

The Kippies Fringe is an initiative of The Market Theatre, a division of The Market Theatre Foundation.

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.