Community theatre makers mount Kasi stories
By CityLife Arts Writer
Soshanguve based community theatre group is highlighting the greed, corruption, gender-based violence and femicide that is prevalent in their community through their award-winning drama production The Iron which is enjoying a four-week season at the South African State Theatre till 02 October after opening on Friday, 10 September 2022. Their production was awarded Best Script With Potential accolade by the SAST’s Mayibuye Community Outreach (MCO) when they participated in the development programme in 2018 and 2019.
Written by Emmanuel Mashigo and directed by Sphiwe Malusi Geldenhuys who are stern community theatre makers, The Iron follows a series of bad circumstances that unfold when a blacksmith is entrusted with a responsibility of fixing a pure gold antique steam iron. The spellbinding drama sets all eyes on the Iron as chaos erupts with greed, corruption, lust, gender based violence, and murder. Applying cinematic and symbolic visual effects, the production uses the antique steam iron as a symbol to showcase malignance and animosity in the overall society.
For many years, Mashigo and Geldenhuys have used their craft to influence social change in their communities. Whilst Geldenhuys is currently doing dramatic development in schools, correctional centres and community theatre fieldwork, Mashigo has showcased in Department of Social Development’s programmes that raised awareness on social and health issues including Gender Based Violence and HIV/ AIDS affecting communities.
Mashigo comments: “Telling stories of where we come from is to encourage and inspire artists not to stop believing in telling stories that address social issues, so that people can relate to true events that we are facing on daily basis. We are creating awareness about gender based violence, corruption and greed faced everyday in our communities and fighting against it through storytelling.”
With the full season at the SAST after exiting the MCO, the group and their production follow on the footsteps of other northern Pretoria townships’ graduates of the programme who are today accomplished artists in mainstream theatre. These artists include Winterveldt’s multi-award-winning writer and director Sello Maseko and Soshanguve’s choreographer Mdu Nhlapo who is the SAST’s new Associate Artistic Director to mention a few.
“State Theatre has managed to develop our production and created exposure for artists by giving us a platform to perform and also created employment for artists in Soshanguve. We have been equipped with skills like script writing, acting, directing and production management by professional and experienced artists who trained us in Mayibuye programme,” Mashigo adds.
Facilitated by the Education Youth Children’s Theatre (EYCT) department, the MCO programme is a field project by SAST aimed at unearthing talent in community theatre and highlighting those who keep the fires burning in conditions where theatre is unimaginable to take place. The two-year development programme encompasses artistic workshopping in directing, choreography, stage management, script writing and development, business and arts administration, plus masterclasses from industry experts. As part of training, in their first year, the community groups are challenged to perform a South African published script, before they could present their own the following year.
The Iron is showing in the iconic Sibusiso Khwinana Theatre that has been earmarked by the SAST to be a stage for developing artists to mature with their works. The auditorium is named after the slain theatre and film maker Sibusiso Khwinana who was also a product of the SAST’s development programmes. Tickets are on R120 on Webtickets, which is available at the SAST, Pick n Pay stores, and online https://bit.ly/3c3NY7t