Haunted life of a war correspondent to be ventilated on stages of Theatre on the Square as his demons come out
Written by Seiphemo Motswiri and directed by Themba Mkhoma,Words & Nightmares, which depicts the life endured by a war journalist, will open at Theatre on the Square in Sandton, on July 21, 2026.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
Journalists are hardly in the news themselves. Almost as if they are not human, affected by life’s hardships. But they are, and in fact are not immune to whatever affects everyone else in their society.
Ironically, they are the ones who often break the news, good or bad, affecting their respective society, rarely about their own lives, except under certain circumstances.
This, perhaps is one single reason, besides the other reasons, why this production, heading to Theatre on the Square, should be a show that one should diarise. It promises to give a rare insight into the often private, personal, and hidden life of members of the Fourth Estate.
Words & Nightmares, deals with the personal life of one journalist, and therefore, is expected to give a rare insight into the lives of those who populate what is regarded as the Fourth Estate. An important institution that is essential to defend and deepen democracy, as well as hold those who are powerful in business, government, and sometimes, civil society leaders accountable.
In other words, the media plays the role of a watch dog, defending and being the voice of those that are vulnerable, often whose voices is drowned dominant voices of of the wealthy and those who rule in society.
It is for this reason, and the fact that the media in the current media landscape, in which, anybody with a cell phone and data can create content, often to chase clout, but mostly for commercial reasons or both, the integrity that comes with being a journalist, in the traditional sense of the word, is extra-important.
Sadly in the noise that is constantly polluting the media space, professional journalists, the ones who are ethical, properly trained, and whose practice is embedded in the traditional role and values of the media, they need to work extra hard to sift through a mountain of information, some of it disinformation, while some of it is of course, misinformation.
It is perhaps the reason why one should look forward to a theatrical production that looks at the private life of a journalist, and this time, as a human being, and not simply as a working journalist on whom society depends for authentic and verified news.
One therefore hopes that the team behind Words & Nightmares, have done a decent job of representation.
However, for now, we will wait till the show opens, to assess whether it is what the producers say it is. The actual reality beyond the PR spin.
However, for now, let us hear what the producers of say about their work, while we wait for Judgment Day, which is July 21, 2026, when the show will open.
Opening on the 21st July at Theatre on the Square in Sandton, Words & Nightmares, is a potentially exciting production that promises to dig deep into the entanglement of words and nightmare as experienced by one war journalist.
The play is written and performed by the multi award winning and internationally acclaimed South African theatre-maker Seiphemo Motswiri. It is directed by award-winning theatre practitioner Themba Mkhoma with music created by the talented award-winning artist Kenny Rakotsoane.
“Words & Nightmares is a story of a journalist confronting his demons by compiling stories for his new book on geopolitical conflicts. The journalist finds himself immersed in the experiences of the people he writes about. He’s transported to pivotal moments and personal narratives of war victims, where he confronts the brutal truth of war and the soul-crushing experience of facing death with no escape. As he struggles to emotionally detach from the stories and navigate external censorship, he finds himself taken to places he did not expect,” the PR behind the show reads.
We will have to wait until the whole thing plays out on stage before making up our mind about the show.
However, suffice to say, the theatre pedigree of those involved in this production is impressive.
Words & Nightmares” is co-produced by Theatre on the Square and African Tree Productions – a Soweto-based company with a strong track record of award-winning, socially driven theatre that tours globally. The company uses theatre as an educational and transformational tool.
The company produced shows such as The System, a multi-award-winning and internationally acclaimed play that received 5-star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe 2013, a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival 2015, a Naledi Award nomination for Best Ensemble, and Best Writer & Director at the Gauteng Ishashalaza Festival. It also won the Audience Choice Award at the Baltic House International Festival 2024, and toured Vanuatu, Zimbabwe, and more.
Another play of their also made a mark on international stages. Be A Better Dog, performed at the United Solo Theatre Festival 2018 in New York, earning a 5-star Critic’s Choice review. It won the Audience Choice Award at Baltic House 2024 and Best Actor at the Kuwait International Festival for Monodrama. It was Naledi-nominated for Best Performance and has been staged at Soweto Theatre, PACOFS, and the State Theatre.
A Gift from God / The Pilgrimage, another play the company produced, won Best Ensemble and Second-Best Production at the GOMMAC Festival. It was also featured at the Directors Festival and Joburg Civic Theatre.
Other works include Oresteia Ubuntu with Seattle’s Tribes Project (USA), Magadi – The Bride’s Price, which toured Scotland, and Little Voice from the Grave, presented at the Drama for Life Conference.
The company has a unique Art-Ability Program on which learners and persons with disabilities are trained to do performance art, and drug awareness through a piece tilled Trap House.
Show details
21 – 24 July @730pm. 25 – 26 @3:30pm.
Theatre on the Square in Sandton
Tickets: R150 on webtickets. R180 at Box Office
Click the link below to buy ticket online
https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1594646546