DUT’s Drama Department, in conjunction with Emuhle All Artists, has produced a 25-minute long African play made especially for a South African audience. The Milk Factory and 15 other plays, featured at the seventh annual Musho Festival at the Catalina theatre this month.
The title and one character were adopted from a script Simphiwe Vililahle submitted to the director and Emuhle All Artists owner, Bongani R. Baai. From the script, a new plot was created by both Baai and Genbia Hyla. In adherence to the festival’s criteria, the entire story is told through two actors, Siyamthanda Mdluli and Mzamo Mkhombe.
Co-director and Drama Department senior lecturer Deborah Lutge said she was delighted to partake in the production process. The plot and themes of equivalent leadership and authority, morality and retaining tradition were poignant and attracted her to work on the play. The shift from human actors to masks and rod-puppets was challenging, however it gave diversity to the entire story.
The story unfolds in a village setting. The inter-marriage of a Chikwah King and a Gqukhwe Queen leads to a power struggle over a milk factory and consequently, the ownership of cattle is questioned and the blame of the theft is shifted to the Rharhambo arch enemy who the audience never meets.
“The implications have real political connotations. AmaRharhambo represent the colonials, the Sangoma represents tradition and Indlovukazi represents the individual. AmaChikwah and amaGqukhwe represent the unification that led to independence as well as the schisms created by greed, while the masks represent the voiceless,” explained Lutge.
The project forms part of a DUT Drama Studies Community outreach project and Twist Theatre Development Project, of which Lutge is a board member. The Twist initiative is aimed at creating interest in art developing talent in community theatres.
– Naledi Hlefane