Donate
Contribute
  • About us
  • Contribute Content
  • Donate
Friday, March 5, 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

Joburg Theatre Stages Zakes Mda’s Dead End as First Production with a Live Audience

Tonderai Chiyindiko by Tonderai Chiyindiko
August 29, 2020
in News, Reviews
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterWhatsapp

After the unforeseen Covid-19 induced public events hiatus where all forms of public gatherings including theatre productions were not allowed, Joburg Theatre has managed to do what few theatres around the world have managed which is to stage a live theatre production with a live audience.

 Dead End written by prolific award-winning South African playwright, novelist, storyteller, historian, artist and beekeeper Zakes Mda and first performed at Diepkloof Hall, Soweto on 14 February 1979 is the production which by all accounts has heralded some sort of return for live theatre.

Sanelisiwe Yekani in Zake's Mda'sDead End
Sanelisiwe Yekani in Zakes Mda’sDead End (Photo by Joburgh Theatre)

Given that many theatre enthusiasts had over the past months been forced to survive on a diet of sometimes poorly recorded virtual theatre productions from archives, Thursday 20 August 2020 was a momentous occasion which saw the first group of 50 paying patrons (the maximum allowed under level two lockdown regulations) attend a live theatre production. The new normal dictated that each has their temperature checked and sanitise their hands upon arriving before proceeding to buy or collect tickets and then be ushered into the theatre by PPE wearing staff members who also conducted one final temperature check of all patrons. The sitting arrangement was strictly 1.5 metres apart and the wearing of masks was mandatory throughout the performance – this is the “new normal” for the foreseeable future!

See also: The Shopping Dead a Wholly Collaborative Experience

Sanelisiwe Yekani and Khulu Skenjana in Dead End at Joburg Theatre
Sanelisiwe Yekani and Khulu Skenjana in Dead End at Joburg Theatre

The choice of staging a production with such a title by Joburg City Theatres could have been accidental but one could not ignore the irony given how theatre, industry and commerce and life as we know or knew it has to some degree reached a proverbial dead end over the past few months where the world has grappled with varying degrees of success with Covid-19.

See also: John Rwoth-Omack Bears the Torch of African Theatre in the Diaspora

Featuring a supremely talented cast of Mncedisi Shabangu, Sanelisiwe Yekani and Khulu Skenjana and directed by Makhaola Ndebele, this over 40 year-old production was given a new lease of life as it’s themes such as the abuse and exploitation of women once again presented and the fact that it has was Women’s Month in South Africa further heightened the sense and reality that not nearly enough has been done to end the suffering of women at the hands of men and a toxic patriarchal society.

 Khulu Skenjana in Dead End at Joburg Theatre
Khulu Skenjana in Dead End at Joburg Theatre

The experimental four day run perhaps the shortest ever for any fully fledged production at any of the Joburg City Theatres was again indicative of how much the world has changed over the past few months – and also a forebearer of how life as we know or knew it is gone.

See also: Incubator 7: POPArt’s Innovative Response to Covid-19

Joburg City Theatres under CEO Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema must be applauded for their bravery in staging this production under extremely strict Level Two safety protocols and for doing all that was necessary to ensure the safety of the patrons and their staff.

 

Dead End by Zakes Mda featuring Mncedisi Shabangu, Sanelisiwe Yekani, Khulu Skenjana and directed by Makhaola Ndebele was on at The Joburg Theatre from 20-24 August.

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

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
49
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
132
Angola Camp 13 written and directed by Sello Maseko at South African State Theatre (Photo by Itumeleng Khumisi)
Reviews

Angola Camp 13 is an all-powerful musical and choreographic masterpiece!

January 7, 2021
221
Next Post
National Theatre Kampala home of Ugandan Theatre

Ugandan Theatre Grappling with the Pandemic

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

    772 shares
    Share 577 Tweet 81
  • Robert Serumaga: The Pantheon of Uganda’s Theatre in the ‘70s

    200 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

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

    303 shares
    Share 216 Tweet 36

Follow us on Twitter

Tweets by @AfriTheatreMag

FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM

  • 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
  • #OnTheAfricanTheatreStage this week. 🇹🇳

Theatre pole and theatre arts of the Opera-Tunisia Theater presents Don Quixote  on March 4th and 5th, 2021 at the Young Creators Theater in The city of culture.

Produced by Théâtre de l
  • #OnTheAfricanTheatreStage this week. 🇹🇳

El Teatro التياترو presents Bird logic play in Altatero space. 

About the text: Bird logic by Farid Al-Din Al-Attar
Dramatorgia and Directed by: Novel Ezara
Date: 
⏱  Friday at 17:30
⏱ Saturday at 17:00

Follow us @afritheatremag for more african theatre content. 
#TheatreInTunisia 🇹🇳
#TheatreInAfrica
#BirdLogic #tunis #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