SOPHIATOWN

Originally a workshop production by the Junction Avenue Theatre Company, Sophiatown has become one of South African classic texts, reflecting historical events that have shaped the nation. This play tells of the tragic tale of one of the cases of forced removals in South Africa in the 1950’s as ordered by the government of the time under the Natives Resettlement Act.

The colourful characters include Mamariti, a shebeen queen and Drum magazine journalist Jakes, who dreams of telling interesting stories about the life of Sophiatown. Mamariti has a daughter Lulu, a cheeky 16 year old schoolgirl, and a son Mingus who is a notorious gangster who justifies his cruel habits by saying that he “steals from the rich and sells to the poor”. His girlfriend Princess and sidekick Charlie, complete the characters living in Mamariti’s freehold house.

This is a typical black township community whose normality gets interrupted by the arrival of a Jewish white girl Ruth, who responds to an advert in Drum magazine to come and live with black people in Sophiatown. Out of curiosity, and without her parents’ consent, she decides to step into the unknown.

The journey of the play gives us insight into these characters’ lives and their opinions about education, politics, culture, and their possible removal from Sophiatown. The presence of the white girl makes for interesting dynamics in the house as they try and accommodate her curiosity and theirs without getting too suspicious!

This is a story of a community by characterised by jazz, freehold title deeds, gangsterism, politics and the hub of black intellectualism. Though there is evidence of poverty, they take pride in what they have because it is theirs. However, there is the looming danger of being forcefully removed from their pride and joy, Sophiatown, and being uprooted into the new township of Meadowlands, farthest from town where the white people live, but also where the government can ensure that black people and every other racial group remains separate from one another.

Directed by Ntokozo Madlala of the Award winning Crush Hopper, this production is performed by 2nd and 3rd year drama students of UKZN Pietermaritzburg campus as part of their course requirements. This production has a chorus which functions as representative of the general population of Sophiatown and shares the responsibility of telling the story alongside the actors, through song and movement reminiscent of the era.

The cast is joined by the young musicians of Platform, a student-formed organisation that provides a ‘platform’ for artistically inclined students to explore and develop their musical talents, who will render some jazz tunes to accompany the performance.

Sophiatown runs at the Hexagon Studio Theatre, UKZN Pietermaritzburg, from September 18 to 21 at 19h30. Tickets R40 (R25 students and seniors) available only at the door.