By Buhle Andisiwe Made
Rhodes University alumni, Sibongakonke Mama, has come full circle at this year’s National Arts Festival with her National Playwright Award production, Ibuhlungu le Ndawo.
After taking the leap and penning her award winning script, Mama has done exceedingly well. The playwright works alongside director Mandla Mbothwe; music coordinator, Siya Makuzeni; and lighting designer, Bamanye Yeko, with performances from Chuma Sopotela, Indalo Stofile, and Nasfa Ncanywa.
Upon entering the theatre, the audience is immersed in the music of Makuzeni as she invites you into a realm, one placed centre stage. The trombone player and vocalist belt their infectious sounds into the audience; with echoes of indigenous or Nguni resonance.
Under the direction of Mbothwe, the production centres around three sisters who battle with the themes of dis-ease, home and belonging. Though they try to get along and extend a sisterly helping hand, a certain rift endures.
Mama embraces her audience through Xhosa anecdotes and familiar familial roles, allowing a sense of relatability for the viewer. “Haska!” Sopotela shouts as she hushes away her sister in a casual manner, bantering amongst each other. Sopotela portrays a protective and stern character, often shielding her siblings from hauntings. In the colloquial contemporary phrasing, ‘it’s giving, first born’.
Stofile portrays the poetic middle sister eager for a harmonious energy amongst her siblings (a typical middle-child). She profusely asks her siblings to wander into galaxies with her and travel to faraway places – always mentioning, “Indaw’ ekude!”. As a spectator, you sense that the last born (Ncanywa) is the closest to the parents and especially their haunting spirit – their mother. Following her passing, the child clings to her memory and overbearing siblings.
The themes present a sense of freedom, a desperate longing to let go of the captivity of their home. The three women want to rid themselves of this haunting ambience looming through depressive emotions, guilt, and lineage.
Mama’s work is phenomenal. She vividly translates the experiences of her cast in an intimate manner, leaving you with calming chills and in awe of the artistry displayed. No work is short of critique, but “Khame mnatse/just give it a sec”, you’re sure to be consumed by Mama’s storytelling.
