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Under the Shade of a Tree i Sat and Wept

This moving and playfully irreverent production pays tribute to the unbreakable human spirit in the face of horror, and the courageous pursuit of forgiveness against bloodshed. Through archival material and newly collected testimonies, artists from South Africa and Europe reflect on the lessons offered by Kosovo’s 1990 Blood Feuds Reconciliation Campaign and South Africa’s 1995 Truth and Reconciliation Campaign.

Coinciding with the 30th Anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, this bold international collaboration examines how societies reckon with conflict and forgiveness, asking hard questions about the true cost of reconciliation.

After premiering in Kosovo in 2025 and touring the Balkans, “Under the Shade of a Tree I Sat and Wept” is set for a stop at The Market Theatre from 9 – 26 April 2026. Directed by Blerta Neziraj, this visually dynamic piece will then continue its international journey to Norway, Italy, Portugal, Germany, France, and New York.

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The cast includes Gontse Ntshegang (South Africa), Amernis Nokshiqi (North Macedonia) Ilire Vinca (Kosovo), Kensiwe Tshabalala (South Africa), Arben Bajraktaraj (Kosovo/Frace), Les Made (South Africa), and Bongile Gorata Lecoge-Zulu (South Africa).

Through humour and piercing performance, this exceptional cast takes you into the heart of a commission, mirroring the pain victims felt when confronting those who have committed ghastly horrors, while exposing how systems of violence break generations. It is a moving, irreverent, and aesthetically rich journey through the complexity of national acts of healing.