The dazzling cast line-up is: Rob van Vuuren (Curse of the Starving Class, Endgame)  as Anton; Kate Normington (Tali’s Baby Diaries, Storm in a B-Cup) as Ma and Maman; Frank Opperman (Ouboet and Wors, Toutjies en Ferreira) as Pa/Rabbi/Moti; Chuma Sopotela (Standard Bank Young Artist, Karoo Moose) as Salome; Cintaine Schutte (Die Seemeeu, Fynskrif, Tien Duisend Ton) as Tannie Marina/Desiree; Jenny Stead (The Glass Menagerie, Elesin Oba) as Astrid; Albert Pretorius (Die Seemeeu, Nêrens, Noord-Kaap, Tien Duisend Ton) as Dominee Simms/ Ockie/ Dean/ Jake/ Father Batty; Sanda Shandu (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Unlikely Secret Agent) as Lukas/Bob/Politician and Jane de Wet (Spoorloos, The Watch) as Amor.

The dream creative team is completed with Sound Design and Original Music Composition by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder (King Kong);  Set and Lighting Design by Josh Lindberg (Cruise); Costume Design by Penny Simpson (The Producers) and Choreography by Natalie Fisher (Free Flight Dance Company).

In a discussion process spanning almost two years, Galgut and Strike identified a visual language through which this seminal family drama unfolds, supported by a uniquely chorus-driven narration.

Director Sylvaine Strike says, “Funny, confrontational and powerful, this production gives the novel a whole new life. It will speak to audiences in the most intimate way possible.” She adds, “It’s been an honor to work with the script penned by Damon, which harnesses his novel in all its beauty, humour and devastation. He is a master storyteller, writing remarkable prose with a profoundly complex understanding of human relationships.”

Greg Homann, the Artistic Director of the iconic Market Theatre, adds, “Having Damon Galgut’s compelling story on stage at the Market Theatre immediately after its world premiere in Cape Town is simply wonderful for our audience. We are thrilled to be partnering on the production, and to welcome Sylvaine and the exceptional cast and creative team to Johannesburg for this theatrical telling of one of the most celebrated novels of our time.”

“I am a great fan of Sylvaine’s work,” Galgut comments. “The detailed physical transformations, vivid imagery, pathos and hilarity of her productions remain in audience’s hearts long after a show has ended.  Her directorial signature, seen in her work on productions such as Beckett’s Endgame, Firefly, Molière’s Tartuffe, and Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class, draws on the poetry of the performer’s body as primary story teller. She is the perfect director to bring The Promise to life on stage!’

Galgut was awarded the prestigious Booker Prize for THE PROMISE in 2021. It is only the third time a South African writer has been given that honor.

The story: On a small farm outside Pretoria, the Swart family – “a typical bunch of white South Africans” – tries to hold itself together through the violent lurches of recent history. They have promised to give a small piece of land with a tiny house on it to Salome, the Sotho woman who has worked for them her whole life. A worthless property, but still, they will not give it up.

Are they cursed, or just unlucky? One by one, members of the family die, while everything around them changes and they try to stay the same. Only two siblings will eventually be left, facing each other over a great divide: Anton, the tormented older brother, and Amor, his strange younger sister.

Book now to ensure you don’t miss one of the must-see cultural events of the year!

To make block bookings and for discounts please contact Anthony Ezeoke 011 832 1641ext 203/ 083 246 4950

For further information, interviews and images, contact:

Brand and Communications Manager: Lusanda Zokufa 072 367 7867 or lusandaz@markettheatre.co.za

Join the conversation on social media:

#thepromiseonstage

Facebook: The Promise On Stage

Instagram: @thepromiseonstage

ENDS

What is it to be made feel strange, in a strange place whilst feeling strange within yourself. This is then to posit that queerness is an experience of strangeness to those that don’t understand it and systematically plays itself out via violent acts of displacement, dislocation and the persistent pursuit of borders. This festival aims to be a container of difference and multiplicities – specifically queer identities, migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, and locals – moreover a place of celebration of said diverse communities through artistic explorations and presentation.

One lucky finalist will be selected from the showcase and get the opportunity for an all expenses paid trip to the 2023 Poetry Africa Festival hosted by UKZN and the Centre for Creative Arts.

Event details:

Poetry Africa Open Call

Date: 6 May 2023

Venue: Kippies Theatre, Market Theatre Precinct

Time: 10am

Theme: Centralising Place, Person and Language in the realm of Queer.

The competition is open to participants between the ages of 18-35 and must reside in the Gauteng province. Full details and rules can be found on our website at marketartscentre.co.za

Competition rules:

• Entrants for the open call on the 6th of May 2023 are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the event for registration purposes
• Poets are welcome to interpret the theme as broadly and openly to their understanding
• Poetry performed on stage should be the original work written and performed by the poet.
• Poets are allowed to present work written in any of the official South African languages
• 20 poets will be selected for a two day workshop to take place on the 18^th and 19^th of May, the selected poets need to ensure that they are available on said day
• The chosen 20 poets will participate in a showcase on the 20^th of May, where one winner will be selected to participate in the main event in October 2023, taking place in Durban.
• The judges will select one winner from the finalists who will be invited to perform at the Poetry Africa festival in October. The Poetry Africa festival will cover travel, accommodation and per diem costs as well as pay the poet a performance fee
• Poets will be judged on the below criteria:

Quality of the poem

Relevance to the theme

Style and impact of delivery of the poem

Originality of the work.

• Registration will begin at 8:30am on the 6^th of May 2023
• All poets will be called up to perform following the registration list.

Background

The African Jazz Pioneers celebrate their 40^th Anniversary as a group in 2023 and have provided the musical tapestry for the South African liberation movement over the last forty years.

The late Ntemi Piliso, leader and founding member, nourished the group from their humble roots to their current international acclaim. In the early 1950s, Ntemi and his “Alexandra All-Star Band” were at the cutting edge of South Africa’s proud music scene, blending American urban big band style with traditional Majuba and Marabi music influences. It seems incredible that the background to the African Jazz Pioneers stretches way back to the fifties when jazz was in fashion and big bands were the name of the game – and Sophiatown and Dorkay House were well-known melting pots of colour and culture.

After the easing of the cultural boycott in 1990, the African Jazz Pioneers were among the first to travel abroad, headlining jazz venues, festivals and concerts in Europe, Australia, Japan and Africa. They shared the stage with artists like global stars such as Youssou N’Dour, Quincy Jones, Manhattan Transfer, The Neville Brothers, Chick Corea, Gilberto Gil, Salif Keita, Nina Simone and Rita and Ziggy Marley.

Led by Mpho Sithole, the current Pioneers line-up includes some of the original veterans together with a rhythm section of fresh young talents who are learning from the masters but incorporating their own influences into the Pioneers’ unique sound.

It is true to say that the group has reached everybody in South Africa, from hipsters to liberation movements.  

The original Mahotella Queens were formed in 1964 and are noted by their distinct vocal harmony sound, guitar-led mbaqanga music, and fast stage dancing.

With Hilda Tloubatla an ever-present member from the very beginning, the Queens remained productive and popular into the 1970s and 1980s with a revolving cast often led by the deep-voiced male vocals of Simon ‘Mahlathini’ Nkabinde. In combination with the late Mahlathini, renowned for his deep and “groaning” vocals, the group forged a successful international touring career that lasts to this day.

The Mahotella Queens are prolific recording artists, dating back to the hundreds of recordings produced at Gallo-Mavuthela during their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. The Queens remained with Gallo until 2005 when they joined Content Connect Africa, an independent company led by former Gallo director Antos Stella.

During the mid-1980s, a stream of Western musical projects including the seminal compilation The Indestructible Beat of Soweto and Paul Simon’s Graceland album led to the Queens performing in France at the Musique Metisse Festival in Angouleme, Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday at London’s Wembley Stadium and at many of Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD festivals around the world.

The current line-up consists of the legendary Hilda Tloubatla together with Amanda Nkosi and Nonku Maseko, both from Springs on the East Rand.

For any media enquiries please contact: Acting Brand and Communications Manager:

Lusanda Zokufa 072 367 7867 or lusandaz@markettheatre.co.za

“The Goethe-Institut is pleased to collaborate with Calvin Ratladi and Theaterformen festival on this important project. The endeavor to foster collaboration and connection among artists with and without disabilities, and to offer a public platform to their excellent artistic work, is a vital concern of the Goethe-Institut’s work in the region,” says Dr. Asma Diakité, Regional Head of Cultural Programmes at the Goethe-Institut Sub-Sahara Africa. The Market Theatre’s Artistic Director, Greg Homann, added, “Having this five-day gathering of work in our theatre and spaces is part of our long-standing commitment to dismantle historic barriers of access. We are proud to be a part of this important and necessary initiative that highlights the expertise of artists living with disability.”

This Gathering is a physical extension connecting Sub-Saharan African artists living with disabilities within the framework of the project. It is a meeting and networking opportunity as well as a place to access creative spaces conceptualised by artists with disabilities across different artistic disciplines for a broad audience with and without disabilities.

“The Johannesburg gathering is intended to go beyond ‘just another inclusion project’ that does not attract daily audiences and engage artistic reflections that relate to people living with disabilities,” explains Calvin.

Tickets available :

Skhumba’s 2021-22 career highlights

After the Covid 19 pandemic hit , Skhumba toured his ensemble tours from late 2020 through all of SA until mid 2022. Those shows were nothing short of SPECTACULAR and LIT!!!

His Walk This Way Wheelchair campaign , close to his heart, had to be put on hold as well because of the havoc wreaked across the globe. 500 wheelchairs have been donated around Gauteng since 2016.

Skhumba continues to entertain his wide audience with laughter on his new and improved radio show “LAST CALL”, which he co hosts with Thomas Msengana, on Kaya FM  Monday to Thursday from 22h00-20h00 and Friday 21h00-00h00.

Tickets are R225 and are available from Webticket.  The shows will start at 19h00.

Issued by Sindi Mnguni

For more information please contact:

Market Theatre 

011 832 1641

If parents wanted to have these conversations with their children, they’d be advised to avoid the idea that children can’t see skin colour. Rather, they should unpack ideas like social construct vs skin colour, race vs skin colour, how terminology creates categories, issues of control and power, as well as the fact that diversity and variation are essential for our survival. These complex ideas are brought to life by the writers and the production team.

Dr Magona is a well-respected author, poet, playwright, motivational speaker and storyteller in South Africa. Among her internationally acclaimed works are Beauty’s Gift; Living, Loving, and Lying Awake at Night; To My Children’s Children. Her plays include I Promised Myself a Fabulous Middle-Age and Vukani. Magona is the recipient of numerous awards and has contributed immeasurably in various capacities to the work of the United Nations (UN), an organisation she served for 20 years. She is also recognised for her work in women’s issues, the plight of children and the fight against apartheid and racism. Ms Magona is the founder and Executive Director of South Africa 2033. A worker for peaceful change during the years of struggle in South Africa, she was one of the founding members of the Women’s Peace Movement in 1976. In recognition of her literary and humanitarian contribution, the State President, Jacob G Zuma, conferred Sindiwe Magona with the Order of Ikhamanga in Bronze on 27 April 2011.

Dr Magona teamed up with Nina G. Jablonski, Professor of Anthropology at The Pennsylvania State University to write Skin We Are In. Her research into primate and human evolution centres on the evolution of human skin and skin pigmentation. She is concerned with understanding the history and social consequences of skin-color-based race concepts. Her work on science education for youth, led to a scholarly initiative in South Africa, with the support of STIAS (the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study). The “Effects of Race” (EOR) program brought together groups of senior and junior scholars from South Africa, the U.S., and Europe to discuss and formulate new approaches to the study of race and the mitigation of racism.

Playwright Omphile Molusi turns this science-backed book into a lively text for The Kwasha! Theatre Company actors to perform. Molusi’s plays have toured internationally as well as at home: Cadre performed at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Edinburgh Festival 2013, Market Theatre and Grahamstown NAF 2013. Balalatladi featured at Washington DC’s Kennedy Centre, while Itsoseng was published by Junkets publishers and Oxford University Press SA, adapted as a BBC radio play, and performed at various local and international venues including Edinburgh festival 2008. Molusi was recognised with the prestigious ASSITEJ Inspirational Playwrights Award 2021 at the 20th ASSITEJ World Congress in Tokyo.

Together with its post-show discussion and resource packs, the production promises to take difficult conversations and make them meaningful for children who are beginning to grapple with issues of difference and identity. It forms part of ASSITEJ’s ongoing and global campaign to Take a child to the theatre.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION CREATIVE TEAM

Writer:                                                             Omphile Molusi

Director:                                                          Mosie Mamaregane

Mentor to the Director:                                    Dr. Refiloe Lepere

Musical Director:                                             Bokang Ramatlapeng

Designer:                                                        Nomzamo Molaba

Post-Performance Discussion Trainer:          Brigid Schutz

Teacher Resource Pack:                                Alison Green

Stage Manager:                                              Lucy Malefano

For tickets, or to book a performance for a school, please contact Anthony at The Market Theatre.

To make block bookings and discounts please contact Anthony Ezeoke 011 832 1641ext 203/ 083 246 4950 anthonye@markettheatre.co.za

For further information, interviews and images, contact:

Lusanda Zokufa 072 367 7867 or lusandaz@markettheatre.co.za