“A Molière in Soweto”
The youth of Kliptown has something to say : “We want to show people that even though we might be living in shacks, that doesn’t mean that our minds are shacks ; we are intelligent and we are using our talents.”
Catch some talented youngsters from Soweto who will blow you away with their performance ! Mama Africa Theatre Company will perform “A Molière … in Soweto” in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and Soweto.
A heady mix of comedy and drama, “A Molière … in Soweto” starts with a group of young people preparing to stage “The Forced Marriage”, a play by 17th century French author Molière. But as the show opens, a member of the cast is grounded by her parents. And so begins a play within the play. Using people, puppets and a lot of humour, the play gets to grips with some serious stuff about tradition and modernity.
“A Molière … in Soweto” has been developed through a workshop process, facilitated by experienced theatre practitioners, but coming from the children themselves. This project is the result of a dynamic European-South African partnership between Mama Africa Theatre Company and two French directors, Neusa Thomasi (Director of Compagnie des Contraires) and Eric de Sarria of Compagnie Philippe Genty. Their previous plays “The Story of Awya” (2003) and “Memories of the Struggle” (2005) were presented at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown to great acclaim.
Through the Mama Africa Theatre Company these young entertainers have developed into skilled performers. “A Molière … in Soweto” is an opportunity for them to showcase their hard-earned training, but also to pass on an inspirational message to audiences and a lesson about the power of theatre. Most of the actors come from a disadvantaged background but have managed, through theatre, to learn crucial life-lessons and it is these that they want to share with young audiences.
Length : 50 min
Cast
« +/- Mémoires de batterie »
The show deals with the political history of the country as well as individual stories gathered. Around fifteen tableaux give a few marking features of the collective history of Kliptown from the 1940s to today, via the dark 1950s, the rioting 1970s, and the end of apartheid in the 1990s. The show is original, dynamic, entertainin and educational. With 11 actors gathered under Mama Africa Theatre Company, supervised by Eric de Sarria.
Length : 45 min
Wednesday 16 July at 6pm
Venue
Alliance Française of Soweto
735, Diepkloof Extension
Phase 3 - Diepkloof
Free entrance
For more information
Marion : culture.jhb@alliance.org.za
Tel : 011 646 1169
