Drama looks at wowen's woes

A woman born to a drug addict must face the same challenges as her mother when she herself becomes a parent in the drama, Next Sunday.
THE story of a young woman who falls on hard times because of her mother’s deeds will be told in a heart-rending play at the Market Theatre.

Khethiwe Dlamini and ThobejaneKhethiwe Dlamini and Godfrey ThobejaneThe drama, called Next Sunday, will run for a limited season at the Barney Simon Theatre from 14 to 27 May. It tells the story of a young woman, Matlakala, whose mother is a drug addict. She finds herself falling under the same dark cloud as her mother while trying to raise her daughter, Zazi.

Winner of the latest Market Theatre Laboratory Zwakala Festival, Next Sunday was written and directed by Godfrey Thobejane.

Speaking at a rehearsal, Thobejane says he has been involved with the arts since high school. Although his father did not like the idea, he never gave up on his dream of going into the theatre, even after a serious fight with his parent.

After high school he moved from Polokwane in Limpopo to Pretoria, where he joined a production at the State Theatre. Here, his dream moved to the next level. His performances impressed Mooky Mabala-King, who runs Monnyth Art House in Pretoria.

Thobejane has been lecturing at the art house for the past nine years. Next Sunday’s cast is made up of his former students from the class of 2011. “The play was a class production,” he adds.

Explaining the driving force behind the drama, Thobejane says it was inspired by a poem by playwright Napo Masheane. “She recited a poem about a woman who had a poisonous seed in her womb and she wanted to get rid of it,” he says.

Family breakdownNext Sunday looks at the breakdown of familiy connectionsStories about rape, a daily occurrence in South Africa, have touched him to the core and the play is a way to raise awareness against rape, he adds. “I wanted to create a story that shows people that these things do happen.”

Khethiwe Dlamini, one of his former students, plays the lead role of Matlakala, the name the character was given because she was born at a tavern. Matlakala means “rubbish” in Sesotho.

Describing the show, the 22-year-old actress says it portrays things that are happening out there that people are afraid to talk about – things that society “hides behind doors” and pretends are not happening.

“People have to watch the show so that they will leave educated,” she says.

Thobejane, who speaks highly of his cast, promises theatre on another level, where the potential of students will be exposed. The show is a combination of different styles, such as physical theatre, musical theatre and theatrical drama, he says.