A Moving Journey Through Identity, Race, and the Secrets That Shaped a Family
The Market Theatre Foundation, in partnership with ASSITEJ South Africa, presents “Pieces of Me”, a profoundly moving real life story of veteran South African actress, Bo Petersen. This critically acclaimed one-hander is a fiercely personal account, written and performed by Petersen herself, exploring identity, race, the transgenerational trauma of apartheid laws and the unspoken histories that threaten the fragile thread that knit families together. It runs for a strictly limited season of only three weeks, from 9 – 27 April 2025 at The Market Theatre.
At the age of 19, Bo Petersen uncovered her father’s deeply kept secret that could radically change her sense of family as she knew it. From the age of 28, Bo’s Coloured father had passed as a White man in Apartheid South Africa. As a result, he was able to marry the love of his life, Bo’s mother, a White woman who didn’t know her husband’s real identity. Interracial marriages were illegal under apartheid. When Bo found out about her father’s hidden life, she became the custodian of his secret, the two of them becoming collaborators in their knowledge and silence. To avoid falling under the overwhelming weight of shared complicity, Bo began writing “pieces” as a way of trying to understand the myth of her father, his “passing” and in turn, her “passing”.
Originally staged at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town, “Pieces of Me” will land at The Market Theatre fresh from the KKNK Festival in Oudtshoorn. After its Jo’burg run, it will go on to play at Suidoosterfees in Cape Town, courtesy of both festivals and NATi. In addition to being nominated for a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best Performance in a Revue, Cabaret and One Person Show, and receiving a Standard Bank Ovation award at the National Arts Festival, the play has been invited for performances in Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and the U.S.A., attracting glowing reviews.
This version of the play is directed by Cape Town-based actor, musician and director, Royston Stoffels, with musical contributions from Christopher Petersen who co-founded The Jazz Yard Academy in Bonteheuwel, Western Cape.
ASSITEJ South Africa Director, Yvette Hardie, highlighted the significance of Bo’s cousin accompanying her on stage as a pianist. Hardie said, “Bo and her cousin, Christopher, were not able to publicly express their family connection for many years, as she lived in an identity that wasn’t truly hers. This collaboration therefore bears witness to the power of reconciliation and is a physical manifestation of the healing journey in which both are engaged. Chris’s music evokes the rich musical history of Bo’s father, which accompanies her through her reconstruction of the journeys they have taken.”
Greg Homann, Artistic Director at The Market Theatre Foundation, said this riveting piece of theatre is not just Bo Petersen’s personal story, but a common legacy of apartheid’s unjust segregation laws. “This is an exciting work for us to have—a very delicate and personal story reflecting on apartheid, individual relationships, identity and how we understand ourselves in various ways through family and friends in our complex country. Bo Petersen is a stage veteran and storyteller with a voice that echoes across cultures and identities, making this offering a must-see for every South African,” Homann shared.
For Bo, performing pieces of herself in the Barney Simon Theatre, named after the co-founder of The Market Theatre, is a full-circle moment that will also add to the unforgettability of her run in Jo’burg. “Barney was a mentor of mine and a huge influence in my life. I told him my secret all those years ago and he said to me, ‘Your inheritance is so rich. You are a true South African. One day you will be able to share it with everyone’, and now it’s happening,” stated Bo, adding: “These stories are still shrouded in a conspiracy of silence. I can no longer remain silent. The intrinsic damage this ‘secret’ has done to our family and to so many others needs to be seen and heard and hopefully start the journey to healing.”
As a result of the story’s richness and ability to trigger critical conversations, audiences at selected performances will have an opportunity for a talk-back session after watching the play, discussing its themes, their personal connection to the story and the often lonely path to healing and wholeness.
“Pieces of Me” is produced by ASSITEJ South Africa. The keyboard and musical equipment for this run is sponsored by Roland Musical Instruments South Africa. Other sponsors and supporters include and have included The South Bend Theatre, Wise Wheels Car Rental, The Gurley Leep Automotive Family and various generous donors from NYC and South Bend, Indiana.
Tickets for this play are available on Webtickets, with half-price specials on Wednesdays and special discounts for groups of four or more and preview performances.
Talk-Back Sessions and Speakers
11 April – Ruth Jacobs Spector
Ruth Jacobs Spector is a veteran music and cultural arts educator with wide experience on three continents — Africa, Asia, and North America.
13 April – Sue Pyler-Slabbert
Originally destined for medicine, Sue discovered her passion on stage, embracing a diverse range of roles from Radio Presenter and Stage Actor to Motivational Speaker, TV Host, Voice Over Artist, and Dancer.
17 April – Ilse Klink
Ilse Klink is a celebrated South African actress and singer, born on 4 March 1972 in Cape Town. A trailblazer, she became the first black graduate from the University of Pretoria’s drama programme. She launched her acting career with the Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State and gained national acclaim as Vanessa Booysens on Isidingo and other renowned shows later on.
20 April – Neeshan (Shan) Balton
Neeshan (Shan) Balton is the Executive Director of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, a position he has held since its founding in 2008. With over 40 years of community and political activism, Shan’s journey spans teacher unionism, youth activism, and both formal and underground ANC activism.
24 April – Phillippa Yaa de Villiers
Dr Phillippa Yaa de Villiers lectures Creative Writing at Wits University, Johannesburg, and is a Distinguished Alumnus of Rhodes University Journalism and Media Studies (2022). An actor and teacher at the Market Theatre Laboratory, she later worked as a television screenwriter for ten years.
27 April – Ruwayda [Wayde] Davy
Ruwayda [Wayde] Davy is a registered Specialist Wellness Counsellor with 8 years of experience providing psychological support to individuals, couples, families, children, and teens.
ENDS.
The Market Theatre Foundation is 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) at AnthonyE@markettheatre.co.za or 083 246 4950.