(Neil Coppen & Dylan
McGarry behind Menzi Mkhwane, Mpume Mthombeni & Simo Majola)
A collaboration of award winning theatre makers are creating
an isiZulu theatre piece titled Understanding
Fuleni which aims to inform the many thousands of community members in the
iMfolozi area of the tragic social / health and environmental consequences that
will occur if they decide to vote in favour of the Fuleni coal mining company.
The effects of the proposed mine will not only have
extensive social implications but horrific environmental ones on the northern
Zululand terrains.
A dynamic team leads this collaborative project that brings
together young South Africans as writers, performers, researchers,
story-tellers and social development practitioners with the goal to participate
actively in sustainable rural development, and social justice. The team
comprises Neil Coppen; environmental scientist Dr Dylan McGarry and actors
Mpume Mthombeni; Simo Majola and Menzi Mkhwane.
Neil Coppen is a multi-award winning writer, director and
designer. His collaborations include works with film-makers, visual-artists,
writers, community-groups, sound-designers, authors, animators, choreographers
and musicians.
Dr Dylan McGarry is an independent researcher, practitioner
and artist. His artwork and creative practice is particularly focused on
empathy and imagination and applying it to conflict resolution, ecological
citizenship and social development contexts.
Mpume Mthombeni is an actress, dancer and performance artist
who has performed with numerous theatre companies. In 2012, she returned from a
highly successful run of Neil Coppen’s Tin
Bucket Drum in New York, where she received sterling reviews for her one
woman tour de force performance.
Mpapa Simo Majola works as a writer, director, actor, and
choreographer; his collaborations include works with various production
companies, playwrights, humanitarian organisations, community groups, filmmakers
and musicians.
Menzi Mkhwane is the son of actor Bheki Mkhwane and best
known for his role as V12 in the Mzansi Magic soap opera Zabalaza. His recent script Last
Cow Standing won a script development award in the The SCrIBE Scriptwriting
Competition, coordinated by the The Imbewu Trust.
The team has managed to source a small amount of money to
pay the actors for research and rehearsal but are still R30,000 short of being
able to fund their daily expenses, the transport of the company, translation,
documentation and accommodating of them (to and from Zululand over the next
month.) etc.
This project is not just an isolated event, but rather a
first step in developing a long-lived sustainable ‘community-of-practice’ that
can ensure the future welfare of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi region. This initiative
is also seen as the beginning of longer collaboration with these four
communities, as well as Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi parks,
African Conservation Trust and other parties. This project does not aim to stop
development in this region, but rather find the most sustainable and
appropriate form of development.
Those interested in supporting this project in any way –
however large or small - are invited to visit the website which clearly
articulates the goals and outcomes of the project. http://understandingfuleni.weebly.com/
For more information contact Neil Coppen on email: ncoppen@gmail.com
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