Yesterday (Wednesday, 1 October 2014), the DUT Drama and Production Studies Department showcased Storyseeker, a play about Mazanendaba, who goes on a road trip to discover how stories came into the world.
The play was showcased at the University’s Courtyard Theatre, Steve Biko Road, as part of this year’s DUT Children’s Theatre Festival which ends tomorrow (Friday, 3 October 2014). Storyseeker was targeted to pupils in grade 2 and up.
This year, the Festival profiles political activist, author, and renowned story-teller Gcina Mhlophe. Originally written as a shadow play by Adi Paxton, Gerard Samuel and Pamela Tancsik, Storyseeker was inspired by Mhlophe’s Xhosa story of Mazanendaba (who goes on a road trip to find out how stories came into the world).
Mazanendaba acquired global success as it showcased under national and international platforms such as the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown and at the International Puppenspieltage in Austria, where it represented the African continent in 2008.
The plot is set in ancient times when the world had no stories and focuses on a woman’s yearn to find the origin of stories. The play is directed by Tancsik, a Senior Lecturer in the DUT Drama and Production Studies Department. Dr Tancsik uses humour as a tool to educate the audience about indigenous flora and fauna such as the Marula Tree and the Fish Eagle. The production also uses different accents to emphasise the continent’s diversity.
The fist scene starts off with the biblical Adam and Eve story, with Eve giving Adam an apple which is much to the audiences’ amusement. Leading actor, Nomvelo Dlamini, who plays Mazanendaba does a compelling job at portraying the character as she uses charisma and her smoothing voice to impress the eager audience.
The production boasts bright costumes and vibrant actors who depict animals such as snakes, ostriches, spiders, elephants, monkeys, dolphins and rabbits.
– Talent Buthelezi
Pictured: One of the scenes in Storyseeker which featured as part of this year’s DUT Children Theatre Festival.
