(2013 Standard Bank Young Artist for Drama – Prince Lamla. Pic:
Suzy Bernstein)
2013 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Theatre,
Simthembile Prince Lamla (31), underscores the importance of the mentors who
have helped him tailor his success and to discover new professional
opportunities in his career. He started his acting and directing career at a
community theatre group in the late 90’s in Qwaqwa.
“I never saw this award coming. It is a key in this
industry. I am happy that it came at this stage in my life where I am very
hungry to direct more and more plays. I am going to use this award as a
motivation to work even harder. I wish my late best friend, Ofentse Bodibe, was
still alive to celebrate this moment with me. He is the only guy who knows more
than everyone what this award means to me,” said Lamla.
“Theatre chose me. I did not know what I was getting myself
into, but I remember enjoying myself every single day,” he adds. “At that point
in my life I did not have any training in theatre but believed I was doing the
right thing. My love for theatre, hunger, passion, commitment, hard work and so
forth was unbelievable. It was so amazing to see a simple idea of a story being
born and then grow into a play. And then see this play making a huge impact in
the community. Really this was inspiring and encouraging for us to create more
plays.”
After training at the Market Theatre Laboratory, Lamla got
an opportunity through the Laboratory to attend a short course at the Stockholm
Stadsteater to explore text and interpretation. On his return from Sweden, he
discovered his potential as a director when he returned to Qwaqwa. This is when
he met the late Ofentse Bodibe, and they co-directed a number of plays,
including Coal Yard that went on to
win the Market Theatre Laboratory’s Zwakala Festival in 2005, premiering at the
Market Theatre’s Laager to rave reviews and thereafter playing at PACOFS and
for a season at the National Arts Festival. Coal
Yard was nominated at the 2006 Naledi Awards for Best Cutting Edge
Production.
“The whole experience at the Market Theatre Laboratory’s
Community Theatre Festival was a life changing experience for me. I was
inspired. The atmosphere was electrifying. It was my first time seeing a proper
theatre building. I also learned about the mainstream. Everything I saw over
there affirmed what I was already doing in my life in Qwaqwa regarding
theatre,” said Lamla.
He became a member of the Market Theatre’s Writers’ Forum
under the guidance of Craig Higginson and participated at the Market Theatre in
the workshopping of a new play Train To
2010, by Ricardo Khan from the US. With support from the Market Theatre
Foundation, he visited the Schauspielhaus in Vienna to work as an assistant
director on Family Table in 2006.
Another opportunity from the Market Foundation came up when he visited Live
Theatre in Newcastle for the rehearsal period as a director assistant on Blackbird which was performed at the
National Arts Festival, Grahamstown and also played at the Market Theatre’s
Laager in 2007.
“The significant people who have influenced my understanding
of theatre are Mncedisi Shabangu, Yael Faber, Lara Foot, Jeremy Herin, Paul
Grootboom, Mbongeni Ngema, Peter Brook, Brecht, Jerzy Growtoski. The list is
endless. All of these people had an influence on my art one way or the other.
They are extremely talented and their vision regarding theatre is clear, and
the stories they have told still rings true. You can sense honesty in their
works. I can hear an artist’s child in each individual’s work. The human
element in their stories is sound. It is not only about their stories. The
styles they use to tell their stories are different and well thought of,” said
Lamla.
Lamla was invited to direct a staged reading of the play The Mirror as part of 2007’s NLDTF/PANSA
Festival of Contemporary Readings Competition. He was given an opportunity to
further his career and gain more experience by workshopping and directing Nativity with 2007 interns at the
Sibikwa Arts Centre. After the success of Nativity,
he was called back to workshop and direct an HIV/AIDS production with the 2008
interns.
“It is very important to know where theatre comes from in
this country. My concern about this generation is that the majority seem not to
know much about theatre. The culture of going to theatre in this country is
only known by a few,” said Lamla. “So the role I am playing in this generation
in terms of shaping the future of South Africa’s artistic landscape is that as
much as I am telling stories in the mainstream theatre, it is also important to
take development very seriously in order to produce actors, writers, directors
and future audiences,” he added.
Fresco Theatre Company invited him on board as an assistant
director on The Famished Road and it
had a successful run at the National Arts Festival in 2009. He joined the
Market theatre Laboratory’s Community Theatre Development program as a Fieldworker
in 2011. Later in 2011, he was invited by GOMACC (Gauteng Organisation of
Community Theatre) to mentor five student directors.
In 2012 he directed Woza
Albert! at the Market Theatre, that went on to set a record at the Market
Theatre for sold out houses, rave reviews and having had the longest run ever
at the Theatre. Woza Albert! ended
its run at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.
When asked about what he thinks drama should do, Lamla is
passionately adamant: “Tell stories that will be able to unite and resonate in
the now South Africa. Stories that will ring true and remind us where we are as
a country and where do we want to go. Tell stories that will bring sense of
belief, identity, abundance and so forth. Stories that will bring audiences to
the theatre and also stories that can be performed anywhere in South Africa, be
it in a community hall, under a tree and so on,” he said.
“I would like to thank everyone who had a hand in shaping up
my career directly and indirectly. The Market Theatre Foundation has been very
instrumental in my writing and directing. Thanks to Professor Malcolm Purkey
and Craig Higginson for the risk they took in giving me an opportunity to
direct Woza Albert! at the Market
Theatre. Thanks to the late Ofentse Bodibe. This award is dedicated to him. I
know he is proud of me. Thanks to the panel that selected me as the Standard
Bank Young Artist Award recipient. And thanks to Standard Bank,” said Lamla.
The winners of The Standard Bank Young Artist Awards feature
on the main programme of the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown and receive
financial support for their Festival participation, as well as a cash prize.
For more information on the National Arts Festival, click on the banner advert
at the top of this page.
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