For the second year in a row Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company bears the gift of entertainment through their annual Christmas show Umbhiyozo- Everything Christmas!
For the second year in a row Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company bears the gift of entertainment through their annual Christmas show Umbhiyozo- Everything Christmas!
This year Bhuti, the Bokkie and the Christmas Beetle celebrated Christmas in true Ubom! style by creating a unique festive South African story.
Before the show, the audience were warmly welcomed by a glass of sherry, a warm mince pie and popular songs by the Graeme College marimba band. The marimbas were accompanied by the Phezulu Project who were dancing to the rhythm on tall stilts while in the side foyer some guests could get some some early Christams shopping done where local crafters were selling beadwork and other handcrafted wares.
Before the show commenced, the director of the company, Janet Buckland said "It’s a show brought to you with absolute love from Ubom!" The funds raised by the Umbhiyozo show will go towards the Amaphiko Township Dance Project, which is sponsored by the Grahamstown Foundation.
Ubom! project manager, Sarah Robeson says Amaphiko was started by Buckland in 1993 "after seeing that children in the township didn’t have much to do and were thirsty for interaction with something artistic." Buckland said that through the Amaphiko Whole Person Venture, talented dancers are identified and brought into the programme which aims to raise and strengthen the academic abilities of learners at township schools.
Reminding the audience about the true spirit of giving was a special guest who had "travelled all the way from the North Pole"- Mary Christmas, alias Louise Vale, the general manager of Grocott’s Mail.
She told the audience about the Grocott’s Mail Christmas Cheer Fund which aims to make a special difference by bringing joy to the hearts of children from the Home of Joy Children’s Home in Joza. After sharing her own joy of meeting some of children who live at the home, she encouraged people to "always give generously" in the spirit of Christmas.
Cassandra Hendricks, who is also an actor from Ubom! wrote the script and directed the show which was perfectly complemented by the quirky design courtesy of Andrew Buckland and Dylan McGarry, the director of Arkwork Collective.
The beautifully decorated stage, adorned with twinkling, colourful lighting and populated by exciting characters wearing costumes created by members of the Arkwork Collective had the littlest audience members laughing with delight.
The play is set in a game park where a herd of springbok live under their heartless boss, Bruella. The little bucks, wearing masks made from upcycled plastic, enchanted the audience (and the tourists) with a lively dance routine. However, one of the young "springbokkies" the clumsy Bokkie is mocked by the others because he can’t dance very well. Luckily his friend Bhuti is there to look out for him.
When Bruella gets coerced to catch Bokkie, Splat, a goofy Christmas beetle caches Bhuti’s wish and delivers it to Mother Christmas, a stately African queen dressed in sparkly Xhosa attire riding in a special Christmassy wagon drawn by Rasta reindeer. She reminds the audience that when it’s Christmas time, "there is no time for selfish wishes". A highlight of the show was a dance performed by the fleet of cute little Chritmas beetles.
Look out for a show at BB Zondani Hall in Fingo Village on Thursday, 26 November where the community will have an opportunity to see a great show at an affordable price. More performances will be held, free of charge, at local hospitals, homes for the aged and the Grahamstown Correctional Centre.
