High school learners in Soweto who read the novel, My Children! My Africa! as part of their prescribed curriculum will be treated to nine days of back-to-back theatre experiences when the book is adapted for the stage this August. Targeted at Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners, the long-awaited Soweto Theatre Schools Setworks Festival is scheduled to run between Tuesday, 16 and Thursday, 25 August in Jabulani.
The Setworks Festival is a weeklong theatre event featuring set-works prescribed by the Gauteng Department of Education in its high school curriculum, which includes language subjects, performing arts and culture, life orientation, and history – all on stage.
Written in 1989 –– shortly before the end of apartheid by acclaimed playwright, novelist, actor, and director Athol Fugard –– "My Children! My Africa!" presents an honest portrait of South Africa on the brink of a revolution and is a testament to the power and potential of youth, hope, and ideas.
The stage play, produced by Nobulali Productions, is set in South Africa, and examines relevant issues such as apartheid, race relations, and the effects of European colonialism. It teaches students that during the 1980s, young people were leaders in the resistance to Apartheid, particularly against Bantu education. The plot revolves around generational rivalry over the most effective method of ending apartheid in South Africa.
"All of these factors inspired Fugard to write ‘My Children! My Africa!’. Today, Nobulali Productions is proudly producing and bringing the book to life and revitalising it with a fresh and young cast to resonate with today's audiences," says Matodzi Mashau of the Soweto Theatre.
Organisers say the Setworks Festival is designed as a teaching aid to high school learners, helping them understand the other side of the text they read in books, so they can experience Indigenous languages in a practical and thought-provoking way.
According to drama and literature researchers, when high school students watch theatre plays assigned as schoolwork, their vocabulary grows, they gain a better understanding of the plot, develop greater tolerance, and improve their ability to read the emotions of others.
The Soweto Theatre says the festival programme will afford learners the opportunity to explore a range of work fields within the theatre environment, such as wardrobe, props, stage management, creative directing in music and drama, marketing, sound, lighting, and various other career-shaping experiences.
The Soweto Theatre Schools' Setworks Festival takes place in all three of the theatre's venues, including the Red, Blue, and Yellow theatres between Tuesday, 16 and Thursday, 25 August 2022. For more information on "My Children! My Africa," visit: https://www.sowetotheatre.com; alternatively, telephone the Soweto Theatre on 010 446 1458/ 1401/1479.
Written by Bongiwe Radebe
16/08/2022
