The Market Theatre Flips the script!
Another play for your pleasure and it’s back by popular demand for a reason folks, go find out what it is!
Title: Flipping the script
Brought to you: This play is part of the Women in Arts Festival, presented by Transnet Foundation in association with the Newtown Improvement District and Arts Alive.
How do you feel about a woman who can freely say “I a…
m as patriotic as the next but I would choose a Nigerian man over a local lover anyday. Let’s not front SA men know jack-sh*t about romance!”? South African brothers, what say you?
The storyline: Fikile, 29 years old, has attitude and vision and believes that if a woman has vision in this country, she has to have attitude! Fikile joins Gogo, a 73 year old woman born in the 1930’s in KwaZulu Natal, Zainab a 35 year old Muslim woman and Amanda a middle aged white woman who has seen better days! The four women tell their stories, about love, life and spices!
Each character is written by a different writer from her own class, race, cultural, age and religious perspective in keeping with the international feminist position of ‘intersectionality’.
Flipping the script, was written by Catherine Mlangeni, Zubeda Dangor, Nonzi Bogatsu, Dorothy Brislin and Bobby Rodwell. Produced and Directed by Bobby Rodwell, the play features veteran actor Connie Mfuku, with Charlotte Butler, Leeanda Reddy and Nomonde Mbusi. The play has performed in Johannesburg at the Market Theatre Laboratory in November 2004, Grahamstown Festival in July 2005, and the National School of the Arts Festival of Fame in May 2006.
Responses have been that it is refreshing to see issues and debates around womens sexuality on South African stage, a topic that is usually taboo. Having each character written by an independent writer has made flipping the script! an interesting and multi textured play! Go and check it out.
Dates:09 – 13 Aug 2006, Wed – Sat 20h15, Sun 15h15
Venue: Laager Theatre
Price: All performances R 65 only!
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Take a trip into our past with this classic story retold on stage at the Market Theatre in July. Written by the legendary Es’kia Mphahlele and featuring some of our favourite thespians, including Siyabonga Twala and Mncedisi Shabangu and directed by James Ngcobo – it’s sure to be a hit.
The Suitcase
Adapted and directed by James Ngcobo from the short story by Es’kia Mphahlele
A moment, a hope, a choice!
The Suitcase
Barney Simon Theatre – Market Theatre
19 July – 20 August
Tues – Sat 20h15
Sun – 15h15
Es’kia Mphahlele’s The Suitcase, adapted and directed by James Ngcobo, is coming to the Market Theatre from 19 July after performances at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival.
The Suitcase, set in the 1950s and based on an actual event, tells the story of a young rural couple who, in spite of family disapproval of their marriage, leave for the city, intending to return wealthy and immune from social censure. The pressures of the city, unemployment and poverty strip away the husband’s self-esteem and he starts to lose his moral compass. He is so desperate to provide for his pregnant wife that he steals a suitcase left on a bus. This action leads to frightening consequences, dramatic turns and unexpected twists.
James, an accomplished actor both on stage and television, has been nominated in the New Director category for The Suitcase in this year’s Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards for The Rosalie van der Gucht Prize. He carefully selected The Suitcase for adaptation as he saw enormous theatrical potential in this poignant and emotive story. The production – evocative, visual and moving – encompasses African storytelling and lyrical music.
The Suitcase features up and coming as well as well more established actors. Siyabonga Twala (Scandal) takes on the lead role of Timi Ngobese, with Nqobile Sepamla playing his pregnant wife, Namhla Ngobese. Mncedisi Shabangu and John Lata take on the roles of storytellers, playing a range of other characters.
E’skia Mphahlele is among South Africa’s, and indeed the continents’ greatest writers, thinkers and critics. Respected worldwide as a literary luminary, Mphahlele has been described by Emile Snyder (Saturday Review), as “the most balanced literary critic of African literature” and can also “be acknowledged as one of its most significant creators”. He has published many short stories, essays and novels dealing with issues of race and South Africa’s changing society.
The Suitcase
PRODUCTION INFORMATION:
Author: Es’kia Mphahlele
Adaptation: James Ngcobo
Director: James Ngcobo
Dramaturge: Lara Foot-Newton
Lighting Design: Wesley France
Set Design: Nadya Cohen
Costume Design: Nadya Kruger
Choreographer: S’fiso Kweyama
Music: James Ngcobo and John Lata
Cast
Siyabonga Twala – Timi Ngobese
Nqobile Sepamla – Namhla Ngobese
Mncedisi Shabangu – Storyteller
John Lata – Storyteller
