27 FEB - 5 MAR BUZZA weekly supplement of the Market Theatre Foundation 1 40 COUNTRIES AT THE MARKET THEATRE SOUTH AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL VENUE Now in its second year, Rapid The festival features films of Market Theatre Lion also known as The multiple genres and varying DATES South African International lengths, Q&A sessions, and 5 - 12 March 2017 Film Festival celebrates the niche sections. These include TIME magnitude of BRICS and African Kindercinema aimed at the Check out Screenings & Times filmmaking with a special youngest filmgoers and their here: emphasis on South African parents; The Heritage platform, www.rapidlion.co.za cinema. The film festival aims to which features South African be one of the most-loved and films of yesteryear; and important cultural events on the Homage, comprising the work Johannesburg calendar. of the recipient of The Lionel Ngakane Lifetime Achievement From 5 March to 12 March Award.From start to finish it is Rapid Lion 2017 will bring 140 a compelling story as these two films from 40 countries to The men who described as part of Market Theatre in Newtown, the continuum of struggle show Johannesburg. their cards and slowly unleash and display their power for each other. 2 3 SOPHIATOWN ITSOSENG A TALE ABOUT TRIUMPH! VENUE Itsoseng which means ‘wake Ramolao Makhene yourself up’ paints a compelling VENUE apartheid laws and as a place DATES portrait of a young man who is John Kani where musicians, journalists, 7 April - 7 May 2017 desperate for change, but does not DATES politicians, entrepreneurs and know how to achieve it. TIME 31 March - 14 May 2017 bohemians thrived. All races mixed freely here, making it an amazing Tue - Sat 20:15 Omphile Molusi’s Itsoseng directed TIME Creative and Technical team for cultural hub and a constant Sun 15:15 by Lesedi Job looks at the fortunes Tue - Sat 20:00 annoyance to the authorities. Itsoseng: Sun 15:00 and misfortunes of a South African Much of that is captured in the township before and after the exuberant musical Sophiatown From the left backrow is the Market Theatre producer, Zodwa Shongwe, “miracle” of the new democracy created more than 30 years ago, Lighting Designer Nomvula Molepo, in 1994. Itsoseng was part of the by the Junction Avenue Theatre Director of Itsoseng Lesedi Job, Set Bophuthatswana homeland, led by In 1997, the Johannesburg City Company. The brave theatre designer Hailey Kingston, Costume Lucas Mangope and set up by the Council made a bold decision to company featured icons such as Designer Nthabiseng Mokone. apartheid government. During the reinstate the name of Sophiatown Malcolm Purkey, William Kentridge, 1980s, the township enjoyed the after the bohemian and multiracial Ramolao Makhene, Arthur Molepo Front row from the left is The author fruits of Mangope’s regime, never suburb that was destroyed by and many others in its poster of Itsoseng Omphile Molusi, Mentor knowing how these fruits had been the apartheid government was billings. Director Kgafela Oa Mogogodi, The harvested. renamed Triomf. It took nine Market Theatre Artistic Director James Ngcobo and The Market Theatre Sound years before the process came to Malcolm Purkey directs this #Itsoseng fulfillment. Twenty years after that production. Once again, it promises Designer Ntuthuko Mbuyazi. decision, the name Sophiatown to be an absolute hit! Meet the #Itsoseng creative and still conjures up a celebration of technical team: the triumphant spirit of the people Ticket prices from R130 – R215 who inhabited the suburb. (pensioners and students R70.00 only) Sophiatown was famous in the 1950s for its defiance of the #Sophiatown 4 5 ISITHUNZI THE SUIT DEHUMANISING CAMPUS VIDEO INSPIRES VENUE Fans of author and playwright Can 2016 ZWAKALA FESTIVAL PLAY Mannie Manim Themba can look forward to one DATES of his most famous work, The Suit, as the Market Theatre continues to VENUE During 2007 the “Reitz Four” 05 May - 04 June 2017 celebrate his life and talent during Ramolao Makhene incident at the University of Free TIME State, a video about four white the Theatre’s Can Themba Season. DATES Tue - Sat 20:15 This year marks 50 years since Can 26 May - 18 June 2017 male students that displayed Sun 15:15 despicable behaviour towards Themba’s passing. The Market TIME a group of black middle aged Theatre staged The House of Truth Tue - Sat 20:15 cleaning staff went viral. The an autobiographical play about his Sun 15:15 students called the incident “their life earlier during January this year. own take of integration.” The incident called for introspection on The Suit was first performed by the university campus. Sello Maake Ka Ncube, Stella Khumalo, Job Kubatsi and Alistair Isithunzi, the 2016 winner of Dube. It will again have an all- the 24th Zwakala Festival at the star cast for this revival carefully Market Theatre gets to the depth selected to deliver this timeless of this disgraceful and humiliating story to entertain and provoke a incident in a family when two boys, new audience. UScelo and uMuzi, sons of one of the ladies humiliated in the video #TheSuit attempt to come to grips with the impact of the incident on their family’s reputation and stability. #Isithunzi 6 7 LABORATORY MARKET THEATRE WEDNESDAY MATINEES THE MARKET LAB TO SET NEWTOWN ALIGHT The regular matinee tiny home of a shebeen queen The box office is open from performances will kick in with in this vibrant suburb. The eight 09h00 – 20h00. Patrons can the return of Sophiatown, a characters bring their dreams also book tickets for any Market heart-warming musical that and hopes alive through song Theatre production at any Pick ’n will evoke nostalgic memories and comedy. Pay outlet. about a time and place of almost mythical proportions. The play Bookings for the matinees #WednesdayMatinees is rich with the original sounds shows can also be made via the of the place once dubbed online booking system at www. the Chicago of South Africa. webtickets.com or by calling the Sophiatown tells a story of a Theatre’s box office on 011 832 Jewish girl who moves into the 1641 ext 108. BRING A BOOK TO THE THEATRE The “Bring-a-Book-to-the- book to the resources centre at students at the Market Theatre Theatre” campaign was the Market Theatre Laboratory. Laboratory, actors working at the launched when two Market Since then several more Market Theatre and by visiting Theatre supporters Fiona people have been contributing students who are looking for Wallace and Mandie van der playscripts and books about information about South African Spuy cleared their personal theatre to the resources centre. theatre. bookshelves and donated their The resources centre is used by 8 9 CENTENARY OF THE SINKING OF THE CHILAHAEBOLAE LABORATORY SS MENDI VENUE Chilahaebolae is a satirical play The Barney Simon written by Kgafela oa Magogodi. Mathews Rantsoma, a second- Dyobha, who cried words of DATES Packed with adventure and year student at The Market encouragement to the dying Chilahaebolae 18 - 28 May 2017 laughter, is a thrilling Laboratory performed at men. theatrical experience which an event commemorating TIME taps into the Basarwa tradition the Mendi Centenary at the The story of the South African Tue - Sat 20:15 of subversive storytelling. In CENOTAPH at the Beyers Naude Native Labour Corps (SANLC), Sun 15:15 Chilahaebolae the antics of animal Square, in the heart of the City particularly the sinking of the proxies open a window into the on 21 February 2017. Mendi troopship, is one of the neo-colonial set-up. most fascinating stories ever Tuesday 21 February marked related in South Africa’s military This allegory presents the world of the centenary of the sinking of history. Phokobje, the Jackal, who sets out The SS Mendi. On the morning in search of a long lost friend Mpja, of 21 February 1917, another the dog. He soon discovers that ship, the SS Darro (10 0000 things are not as they used to be. tons) travelling at full speed and He finds that Mpja has cut ties with emitting no warning signals, Nageng and is swimming in the fat rammed the SS Mendi (4 230 of Chilahaebolaye’s suburban bliss. tons), which sank in 20 minutes. Phokobje’s sudden appearance is No steps were taken by the SS an unwelcome interruption and Darro to lower boats or rescue an unpleasant reminder of Mpja”s the survivors. She stood off and betrayal. Phokobje’s refusal to floated nearby while lifeboats comply with the ways of a world from the SS Mendi’s escorting run by Motho further complicates destroyer, HMS Brisk, rowed matters. Cracks on the edifice of among the survivors, trying to their brotherhood grow wider and rescue them. deeper. There are many stories about the bravery of the men as the ship went down. One of them is that of the Reverend Isaac Wauchope 10 11 BRING YOUR PHOTO WORKSHOP OWN FRAME EYEMINDED is a monthly reading engage photography in some of its This month’s meeting is on and writing forum on photography theoretical, historical, and textual Monday, 27 February 2017 at 5pm. in Africa presented in partnership complexity. The discussion is titled “Bring Your with the Market Photo Workshop. Own Frame” along to consider Monthly meetings are proposed works from Émilie Réiger’s Passport The intention is to cultivate a for the last Monday of every month (2013) series. © Celimpilo Mazibuko supportive intellectual community and will be held at the Market of academics, curators, artists, Photo Workshop. cultural workers and writers based in Johannesburg who Celimpilo Mazibuko, the Market Photo School of Arts and Michaelis School of 2016 Workshop’s 2016 Tierney Fellow’s, Fine Art, the Market Photo workshop documentary project focuses on the will host a critique session with TIERNEY current land issues faced by South Celimpilo on Friday 24 February.