(Pic: Sandile Menze and Makhulu Hlophe with nearly-unseen Bongani Mbatha)
Playhouse Company’s 2009 in-house schools season features new stage adaptation.
The Playhouse Company’s 2009 in-house schools season runs in The Playhouse Opera from May 25 to 29. This learning-aid programme will then be presented on The Playhouse Transnet Mobile Stage, touring to schools in some parts of KwaZulu-Natal between June 2 and 11. The programme will feature a new stage adaptation of PB Maphumulo’s isiZulu drama, Kudela Owaziyo, a prescribed set work for KwaZulu-Natal matric learners this year.
“Our new stage adaptation of Kudela Owaziyo by Faca Kulu is designed especially to create an edutainment experience for school audiences,” says Playhouse Company CEO and Artistic Director, Linda Bukhosini. “This is in line with our policy of introducing an element of fun into our programmes for young audiences, while facilitating their learning process in coming to grips with literary setworks.”
Last year the Playhouse Company’s in-house schools productions toured throughout KwaZulu-Natal, performing in all 11 municipal districts of the Province, playing to more than 75,000 learners from more than 360 schools.
“We greatly value our partnership with The Playhouse Company,” said Dr Casius Lubisi, Superintendent General of KZN Department of Education. “One of the biggest challenges faced by many of our learners is that of visualising the full picture of literary setworks they study in the classroom situation. This can militate against their achieving good marks. By seeing stage adaptations of setworks, they are able to come to grips more thoroughly with these books. For many learners, the Playhouse Company’s schools productions represent their first ever encounters with live theatre. In this sense too these productions fulfil a valuable role which can only encourage the development of future audiences for the arts industry.”
The story of Kudela Owaziyo, patterns events in a dream world with their actual interpretation. It covers the topics of abuse, xenophobia, bribery and betrayal, drawing from biblical and cultural beliefs. While celebrating the book’s rich isiZulu language content, some issues contained in the original text have not been included in the new stage adaptation, but will be open for discussion with pupils after the show.
For more information regarding The Playhouse Company’s new production of Kudela Owaziyo or to secure a school booking contact the Drama Co-ordinator, Pascar Dube on 031-369 9464 or email drama@playhousecompany.com
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