Donate
Contribute
  • About us
  • Contribute Content
  • Donate
Monday, March 8, 2021
  • Login
  • Register
The African Theatre Magazine
  • Home
    • About us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • People
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
The African Theatre Magazine
  • Home
    • About us
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • People
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
The African Theatre Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Daddies of Sugar pokes fun at shenanigans of modern-day ruling elites

Tonderai Chiyindiko by Tonderai Chiyindiko
January 24, 2020
in Reviews
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterWhatsapp

Daddies of Sugar with its catchy and somewhat risqué title is Jefferson Tshabalala better known in theatre circles as ‘J’. Bobs Tshabalala’s latest theatrical offering which pokes fun at shenanigans of modern-day ruling elites.  The tongue-in-cheek title of this production was coincidentally derived from another production which J. Bobs Tshabalala penned in 2014 which was called Secret Ballot. Its five featured characters came to be affectionately known and referred to as the ‘daddies of sugar’ – a clever and deliberate wordplay of the more common ‘sugar-daddies’, a term which describes older men who have transactional relationships with younger women.

Thuto Gaasenwe expertly plays multiple characters of the ‘daddies’ in the production. The ‘daddies’ all of whom are instantly recognisable as their various idiosyncratic behaviours and/or phrases they use give the audience a sense of who is being referred to and what they have come to be known for as politicians. Much of the action takes place at a fictional conference and one gets a glimpse of the goings-on at these much talked about political events.

See also: Hoot, featuring the inimitable and versatile Matthew Ribnick is a rib-cracking comedic masterpiece!

Daddies of Sugar loosely follows in the rich tradition of South African political satire popularised by greats such as John Kani, Winston Ntshona, Athol Fugard, Gibson Kente and many others who used political satire theatre to ridicule and ultimately bring down Apartheid and all it represented.

Daddies of Sugar by J. Bobs Tshabalala at Ramolao Makhene Theatre (Market Theatre)
Daddies of Sugar by J. Bobs Tshabalala at Ramolao Makhene Theatre (Market Theatre)
Photo by Ngoma KaMphahlele

As for Thuto, the way she is able to carry the story and step in and out of multiple characters is nothing but remarkable and one gets a sense that she is destined for greater things in the industry.

It is no wonder then that Jefferson Tshabalala was awarded the 2020 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre because not only is he a prolific writer and director, but he also uses theatre to bring to attention important socio-political issues facing the country. For this production, all the proceeds of the run were donated towards covering the full tuition fees and living expenses for students studying at the Market Lab – now that is ‘Ubuntu’ in action, J. Bobs Tshabalala!

 

Daddies of Sugar written and directed by 2020 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre, J. Bobs Tshabalala and featuring Thuto Gaasenwe was on at the Ramolao Makhene Theatre (Market Theatre) from 10 – 14 December 2019

 

Tonderai Chiyindiko

Tonderai Chiyindiko

Tonderai Chiyindiko is a part-time arts writer and contributor. He holds a B.A honours degree in drama from the University of Zimbabwe and a Masters degree in Applied Drama from University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. He has been part and parcel of the theatre-verse both as an actor and director and more generally worked extensively within the cultural and creative industries sector in various capacities.

Related Posts

Kwasha! Theatre Company's Mosie Mamaregane in The Empire Builders (Photo by Oscar Gutierrez)
Reviews

The Empire Builders: A bold experiment in alternative theatre!

March 6, 2021
72
Kamphoer – die verhaal van Susan Nell featuring Sandra Prinsloo and directed by Lara Foot (Photo by Eye Poetry Photography)
Reviews

Kamphoer – die verhaal van Susan Nell, a story of tragedy and pain

February 25, 2021
53
Fantastic Mr. Fox at the National Children’s Theatre (Rebecca Hearfield)
Reviews

Fantastic Mr. Fox wows audiences at the National Children’s Theatre

January 16, 2021
134
Next Post
Mbuso Khoza in Battle of Isandlwana

Mbuso Khoza on why the Battle of Isandlwana remains a pivotal moment in African history

What people are saying

More Reads

  • People
  • Opinion
  • Festivals
  • Reviews

Popular Reads

  • Uganda's Theatre pioneer Elvania Namukwaya Zirimu

    Uganda’s Elvania Namukwaya who Broke the Glass Ceiling of Theatre

    773 shares
    Share 577 Tweet 82
  • Robert Serumaga: The Pantheon of Uganda’s Theatre in the ‘70s

    201 shares
    Share 80 Tweet 50
  • 10 Masterpieces in Ugandan Theatre

    550 shares
    Share 449 Tweet 42
  • Namasagali College: How the School Became Uganda’s Arts Hub

    377 shares
    Share 281 Tweet 40
  • Rose Mbowa of ‘Mother Uganda’ and Her Theatre

    306 shares
    Share 217 Tweet 37

Follow us on Twitter

Tweets by @AfriTheatreMag

FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM

  • An intimate listening party of The Empire Builders, an immersive audio production performed by the Kwasha Theatre Company  is a bold experiment in an alternative theatre! Presented by the French Institute of South Africa - IFAS Culture and The Market Theatre Laboratory... Read Full review on our website link is in our bio. 

#TheatreInSouthAfrica 🇿🇦
#TheatreInAfrica
#TheEmpireBuilders #Review #article #play #gainwithmchina
  • #AfricanTheatreSpaces this week we take a look at L
  • To everyone performing this weekend, break a leg! 

Follow us @afritheatremag
For more African Theatre content.  #TheatreInAfrica #TheatreMeme #castlist #auditions #Techweek #lines #leadrole 
#director #directors #theatrememes #theatre #production #broadwaymemes #gainwithmchina #bway #musicalmemes #theatrelife #gainwithmtaaraw #acting #stagemanager #rehearsals
  • The African Theatre Magazine brings the women making waves in African Theatre. Some of these are well known names but others are names you will wish you had read and known about yesterday. Read more on our website link in bio. 

#TheatreInAfrica
#WomenInAfricanTheatre #Women #theatre #gainwithmchina #africanwomen
  • Unpopular theatre opinion. 
.
.
.
.
Follow us @afritheatremag
For more African Theatre content.  #TheatreInAfrica #TheatreOpinion #unpopularopinion #castlist #auditions #Techweek #lines #actingtips 
#director #directors #theatrememes #theatre #production #broadwaymemes #gainwithmchina #bway #musicalmemes #theatrelife #acting #stagemanager #rehearsals
  • The #TheatreTerm for this week is; GREEN ROOM 

Follow us @afritheatremag
For more African Theatre content.

#TheatreInAfrica
#WorldTheatreDay #GreenRoom #learn #theatreart #art #prop 
#theatrememes #theatre #broadway #theatrelife #broadwaymemes #gainwithmugweru #gainwithmtaaraw #acting #rehearsal #theatrenerd #broadwaymusical
  • #AfricanTheatreCompanies this week we take a look at Troupe Lampyre. 🇧🇮

The Troupe Lampyre is a French-speaking theatre company from Burundi  established in 2006. It is based in the capital Bujumbura, where they perform regularly. Freddy Sabimbona, a Burundian Playwright and actor, is the artistic director of the troupe.

The Troupe Lampyre  has set itself the goal, as a public interest association, to: train in acting, directing and scriptwriting in order to support amateurs towards professionalism or strengthen the capacities of professionals and thus contribute to improving the quality of shows presented to Burundians. Raise awareness among young people about artistic expression, their culture and the values ​​of social cohesion, peace and development that it conveys. 

The Troupe Lampyre brings a modern, young and humorous theatre to the stage.  With many in-house productions, Troupe Lampyre  has reached a wide audience and has made guest appearances in Rwanda, Congo and Uganda. 

Here are some of the productions done by the Troupe Lampyre since its inception; Patrice Faye’s Un jeune homme responsable s
  • #OnTheAfricanTheatreStage this week. 🇿🇦

The Market Theatre presents Pass Over Directed by James Ngcobo. 

Pass Over explores the unquestionable human spirit of YOUNG BLACK MEN. 

Date: 26 Feb - 28 Mar 2021 
Venue: John Kani 
All shows start at 18:00 pm 
Limited Capacity ⚠️

Get your Ticket here bit.ly/PassOverTickets
#TheatreInSouthAfrica 🇿🇦
#TheatreInAfrica 
#PassOver #sa #markettheatre #gainwithmchina
  • #OnTheAfricanTheatreStage this week. 🇧🇮

Buja Sans Tabou presents Kati by Iwacu Dance Company. 

Date: March 5th and 6th 2021 
Time: 18 pm in Buja Sans Tabou
Price: 5 000FBU | 10,000FBU  for creative support 

#TheatreInBurundi 🇧🇮
#TheatreInAfrica
#Kati #burundi #bujasanstabou #gainwithmchina #danceproduction
  • #OnTheAfricanTheatreStage this week. 🇹🇳

Théâtre National Tunisien presents Martyr 
Directed by Fadhel Ja aïbi.
 
🗓️ Friday, March 05, 2021 at 16
🗓️ Saturday 06 March 2021 at 16
🗓️ Sunday 07 March 2021 at 16
📍 Location: Fourth Art Hall - Paris Street Tunisia
💸 Price: 20 D // 12 D for students - tickets are sold at the fourth art hall window
📞 For reservation: 71351783

#TheatreInTunisia 🇹🇳
#TheatreInAfrica
#Martyr #nationaltheatre #gainwithmchina
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

Become a partner/Sponsor our work. Email tuvugafritheatre@gmail.com

© 2019 - The African Theatre Magazine - Developer.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • People
  • Donate

© 2019 - The African Theatre Magazine - Developer.

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
Sign In with Google
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Sign Up with Facebook
Sign Up with Google
OR

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In