Vakavigwa (Burials/They Were Buried), Theatre Venue: Centenary Hall at St Andrews College Next Performance: Friday 27 June 20:00 Interview By Ndalo Mbombo 2025 Heineken Playwright Winner, Campbell Meas is preparing to showcase Vakavigwa (Burials/They Were Buried), what she has described as the“ first iteration” of a production that could grow beyond what the audience is set to see this festival. In an unexpected plot twist, Meas finds herself claiming two titles; playwright and director. Meas said, “ I realised I was fearful of entering my own work and bringing it to life” while speaking about the creative process of directing…
Author: Ndalo Mbombo
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By Ndalo Mbombo What started out as an exam production in his third year directing course at Witwatersrand University has since grown and found its way before a national audience. A reimagining of Yale Farber’s Molora, which is an adaptation of the Aeschylsus Oresteia Trilogy has found its way to the Festival. A story Farber situated in the context of the apartheid aftermath in South Africa, it speaks to the painful yet liberating pursuit of reconciliation in the face of brutality and fragility. Sehole said, “What drew me to the story, was the writing which I found to be beautiful,…
Makhanda at NAF: Rhodes Drama Department Preview: Sikhohlwa Kanjani, Umbhobho The Red Pipe By Ndalo Mbombo Two Rhodes University postgraduate students debut research-based works as independent artists at the 2025 National Arts Festival (starting next week). Nhlanhla Mavimbela a Masters of Arts candidate specialising in Applied Theatre is the director of Sikhohlwa Kankani, created in collaboration with cast. Siphosethu Mankai Masters candidate in African Languages Studies is the writer and director of Umbhombho – The Red Pipe. Sikhohlwa Kanjani This is an Empatheatre play that explores the stories of three women and one man in the aftermath of the 1976…
By Ndalo Mbombo The Rhodes Drama Department has educators that not only teach about the arts but are also involved in creating and producing pieces for public audiences. At this year’s National Arts Festival three lecturers are staging productions, along with a colleague from the Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education. Thembela Madliki directs A Childhood in Chalk with PJ Hellemann, Makhoala Ndebele directs Serurubele/ Butterfly Heart written and performed by Lalu Mokuku, and Cantos of a Life in Exile written, performed and directed by Makhoala Ndebele. A Childhood in Chalk, written by Madliki and PJ Hellemann, is produced by…
Makhanda at NAF: Rhodes Drama Department Preview: Wounds By Ndalo Mbombo The Rhodes Drama Department is bringing a double bill to its Festival productions this year. Featuring two directorial debuts by postgraduate students, Wounds consists of The Four Seasons, directed by Masters student Nikita Baloyi, and The Dinner, directed by Honours student Swelihle May. The Four Seasons Baloyi is an emerging theatre practitioner interested in ritual theatre. “I’ve realised that ritual does not necessarily refer to the ‘traditional South Africa’ rituals,” she said. “The kind of ritual theatre that I am interested in is finding healing — whether it’s for the…
Makhanda at NAF: The Black Power Station By Thubelihle Mathonsi and Ndalo Mbombo The Black Power Station (TBPS), located just eight minutes outside town, is gearing up for a vibrant festival, evident from the 2025 artist lineup. The space is about to come alive, especially with the promise of a larger crowd drawn to the National Arts Festival. In celebration of its 11 years (neatly coinciding with the 11 days of Festival), The Black Power Station has named its theme “11 years of revolutionary art”. The programme captures the diversity of this art space which will be filled with live…
By Ndalo Mbombo Theatre has played a pivotal role in the cultural and storytelling history of South Africa. It was used as a vehicle for political and creative expression during South Africa’s struggle against Apartheid. From theatre and the arts came writers, scholars and playwrights who would leave a legacy characterised by respect and appreciation for the craft that continues through the work of writers, scholars and playwrights of this century. Among those artists, scholars, and playwrights is the award-winning writer, Professor Siphiwo Mahala, who writes across genres; namely academia, short story form and playwriting. Professor Mahala honoured an invitation…
By Ndalo Mbombo and Thubelihle Mathonsi Modise Sekgothe, who has been a poet for 10+ years, delves into the depths of human experiences through reflecting on moments of his own life. “We are all living the same life,” he says. “Human experience is not unique — we have been heartbroken and we have been happy.” His poetry performances redefine the boundaries of such moments by including music, instruments, new rhythm and vocals. At their core are the lived experiences which influence his work. “For example, I think about things like the streets of Johannesburg and think to myself, what if…
By Ndalo Mbombo Almost 10 years of experience in multiple mediums allow Campbell Meas to show that art is the lens through which she sees the world. She is an actress, writer, director, and theatre maker. She also models but, she admits with amusement, “Only when I remember to shave my legs.” Beyond the gifts of time and resources to write a script, the award has “reignited a curiosity that I’d lost”, she says. “I think that’s the biggest gift — being given the time and space to explore that curiosity.” The result is Vakavigwa (Buried/They Were Buried), the winning script…
By Ndalo Mbombo Last but certainly not least, Rhodes University will honour Eugenia Mbekeni in the very last session of the autumn graduation. The university recognises her for her revolutionary and impactful contribution to youth development and women’s empowerment. Mbekeni will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Laws (LLD). Although delighted to be honoured in this way, she said: “This recognition is not so much for me alone as Mama Eugenia Mbekeni; it’s for all the leadership of the Girl Guides and also for the girls who have gone through our training and became people of note after that.” In an…