Artscape will present a double bill of But, The Land and uThando as part of the second season of New Voices until Saturday October 15.
The Artscape New Voices programme aims to resuscitate the essence and depth of our nation through theatrical performances of our storiesy.
These are voices of our common narratives and individuals’ memories that have been deprived of resources, dignity and have, in the past, been underappreciated.
After the success and publication of their first play, Uhm which was further developed and performed at Artscape, The Papercut Collective is back, creating a new play for the Artscape Theatre’s New Voices Programme called But, the Land. While Uhm examined the colonising effects of the English language, But, the Land will tackle the issue of land.
The Papercut Collective is staying true to their creative roots and workshopping the play around the personal experiences of their cast members and creative team. Written by Callum Tilbury, Jason Jacobs and Koleka Putuma, with set design by Kathleen Stephens, the play is directed by Jason Jacobs and features a cast including Zikhona Jacobs, Jolyn Phillips, Margeatha Gericke and Kay Smith under the mentorship of Mandla Mbothwe. The final result will be a performative montage; a cross section of a number of South African voices, in the way they interact with the idea of land.
uThando is an original script written by Thando Baliso, further created by the performing company and directed by Bulelani Mabutyana.
It features cast members Aphiwe Menziwa, Awethu Hleli, Sizwe Lubengu and Nathabeleng Jafta. uThando is a taxi driver with a difference — he is also a musician with a big dream of performing locally and abroad.
He always ferries commuters with a smile and occasionally sings, to the passengers’ delight.
He dreams of starting a family and when he meets Thandokazi it’s love at first sight. She is everything he wants but she also enjoys the finer things in life and she would like a man that will take care of her needs and who is able to afford her lifestyle.
Thando wants to work hard with the aim of pleasing and meeting the needs of his loved one. But, is she really the one?
Says Mandla Mbothwe, creative manager for Artscape Theatre: “New Voices is a developmental programme that seeks to give voice to new theatre makers, directors, choreographers, scriptwriters and creative expression and will also seek to develop and give platforms to narratives, aesthetics and language that have been, and still are, marginalised in our creative industries.
It is through this that the programme aims to restore the dignity and confidence of artists of multiple creative expression, and to excavate the buried stories in reclaiming their identity in the mainstream.”
Ticket prices range from R50 to R80. Book at Computicket or Artscape Dial-a-Seat on 021 421 7839.
