Ndinkhubanyi: Theatre
Venue: Dicks
Review
By Ntombekhaya BusukuÂ
I was already drawn to the play when the actors of Ndinkhubanyi opened the stage, singing a very popular Xhosa song ‘Masiyembo’. The song sends a powerful message to the people about going back to their roots and remembering who they really are. A masterstroke, because the song brought the theme of ‘redefining oneself’ to life. The audience was so moved that they sang along with the actors.
The play married physical performance and mime with music and intsomi storytelling. Ndinkhubanyi moved between historical and contemporary events. The different art disciplines helped to mark the elements of the story through time. For example, mime was used to evoke the types of games ancient people used to play.
The actors brilliantly adopted multilingualism into their storytelling. They embodied the character of a spoilt brat private school girl using English. And when they wanted to introduce a nosy neighbour who loves to gossip in the township, they spoke in Afrikaans, “Don’t forget to wear your pink gown when you’re coming to the braai.” Perfect! Pink gowns are so popular in townships for gossipers.
The performance was closed off with a compelling poem where the actors shared their traumatic experiences, including bullying. This was very empowering for audience members who might be experiencing similar forms of trauma, encouraging them to refuse to let that define them.
