The story follows the tranquil village of Hlanzeka, where the bonds that knit this community quickly begin to fray when residents discover that their lives and homes lie directly in the path of a planned new coal mine. With courage and relentless faith, an environmental defender known as ‘Mam Nomsa’ (portrayed by Mpume Mthombeni) leads the charge against the land-hungry mine and fosters a fragile resistance to defend her home, history and ancestors.
Churches, school halls, fields and kitchens become her battle grounds, while bees, birds, elephants and a faithful dog guide her way as she tries to unite her people against the destruction masked as progress that wears an all too familiar face. Worn down by the might of the system, soon the growl of machines reverberates across the same valley, poisoning the hearts and minds of the people of Hlanzeka along with their water and land. Her community, too, rejects her defence of their land, seeing her instead as standing in their way to prosperity.
“Her community,” states co-writer and director Neil Coppen, “are not united and she must confront corrupt traditional leaders, mounting threats to her family’s safety, and the bitter irony of being declared an enemy of the very people whose lives and land she is fighting to preserve. Joined by a puppeteered elephant matriarch called Ndlovukazi, their journeys pose urgent questions about who decides what progress looks like. What is the cost of development when the dead are displaced along with the living? And who becomes the ‘enemy’ when truth threatens power?”
The highly anticipated brand new production features an incredible cast of twelve, led by Mpume Mthombeni, Tony Miyambo, Billy Langa, Minenhle Skhosana, Zesuliwe Hadebe and Sabelo Sekgoto. It is co-written by Neil Coppen, Tony Miyambo, Mpume Mthombeni and Dr Dylan McGarry and directed by Coppen, with original music, score and choreography by Nhlanhla Mahlangu, set and puppetry design by Dylan McGarry and Craig Leo. Puppetry direction by Craig Leo, lighting design by Tina le Roux and sound design by Tristan Horton. Additional musical and sound elements by Guy Buttery.
Greg Homann, Artistic Director of The Market Theatre Foundation, says this hard-hitting musical drama is set in KZN but bears profound resemblance of the 140-years-old history of Johannesburg, a city built on the gold rush, migrant labour towards the mines and forced removals to make space for industry.
“As The Market Theatre celebrates 50 years of bold storytelling, welcoming this strongly relevant play continues on our legacy as a performance space renowned for being unafraid to take on difficult subjects in beautifully crafted theatrical ways, holding the powerful accountable and amplifying bold voices such as those of environmental defenders. We’re overjoyed that the production – with its strongly aligned themes – sits with us in our crucial anniversary year,” remarks Homann.
The play has been devised by the award-winning KZN-based company Empatheatre whose multiple Naledi Theatre Awards winning work “Isidlamlilo/The Fire Eater” as well as “The Last Country” had a run at The Market Theatre in 2024 and 2025 respectively.
The theatre project is supported and made possible by The Naia Trust, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Collaboration of Humanities and Social Sciences in Europe (CHANSE), Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA), groundWork, Rhodes University and the University of Southampton.
Don’t miss this bold new piece as it premieres at The Market Theatre. Tickets are available on Webtickets, with special prices for preview performances and half-price Wednesdays.
ENDS.
The Market Theatre is a Business Unit 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.
