Soweto theatre group Ngizwe, has been named
the recipient of the National Arts Festival’s Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Human
Rights Award, sponsored by the Embassy of the Netherlands, for their production
of The Little One.
According to the Festival’s Executive
Producer, Ashraf Johaardien, the aim of the award is to recognise artists whose
creative practise is grounded in exploring the potential of the arts to
advocate for social change and to entrench South Africa’s human rights culture.
“Adelaide Tambo shared a birthday with
Nelson Mandela and was a champion of human rights. Her daughter Tselane Tambo presented the
inaugural award in 2014 in honour of her late mother,” he said, announcing that
this year the award is being rededicated as the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Human
Rights Award in partnership with the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation to
mark the Centenary of the late Oliver Reginald Tambo.
In addition to the cash prize sponsored by
the Embassy of the Netherlands, the Festival will invite the winning production
to return the 2018 National Arts Festival Fringe and will waive the costs of
registration. The winner will also have the option of presenting a new work on
that basis.
“O.R Tambo was one of the founding fathers
of our constitutional democracy so I am really excited that the Fringe as a
platform is able to recognise his contribution and to reward artists who keep
his spirit alive,” said Festival Fringe Manager, Zikhona Nweba.
“Ngizwe Youth Theatre has harnessed the
power of theatre to share a narrative that is not often highlighted. While many
playwrights may present work about the unique reality faced by children living
on the street, Tshabalira Lebakeng's direct and personal experience conveys an
authenticity and creates a deeper understanding of the harsh realities,”
commented Festival Artistic Committee Member Tracey Saunders. “Through the
performing arts, he has created opportunities for disadvantaged youth and the
experience afforded them of participating at the festival and having their
lives validated cannot be underestimated. In addition to the social value of
the production he has created, it was thoughtfully designed with some
incredible performances,” she added.
The
Little One was presented at the National Arts
Festival Fringe 2017 by Ngizwe Youth Theatre and was co-directed by Emma
Delius, with writer Tshabalira Lebakeng who also features in the piece along
with Thembelihle Hadebe and Nobuhle
Mbanjwa. The play is the true story of a group of homeless children living on
the tough streets of Durban. Tshabalira takes audiences on a journey back to
when he himself was a street child living in Durban. Interwoven into his story
are the experiences and testimonies of a young cast, who themselves know the
betrayal of family and the daily grind of surviving poverty. The Little One uses song, movement and
humour to chronicle an authentic picture of the daily experiences of a
mismatched group of children, who sleep beside each other at a train station.
Director Emma Delius and writer Tshabalira
Lebakeng commented, “We are deeply honoured to be the first Fringe production
to receive this rededicated version of a prestigious award . The Little One brings to life the experiences of street children, drawing on
the childhood of co-director Tshabalira Lebakeng. The story was brought to life
by a community project called Ngizwe Youth Theatre based in Diepkloof, Soweto.
Ngizwe, harnesses the untapped but huge potential of children who live in the
area. We are deeply grateful to the
National Arts Festival fringe and our sponsors for giving us the opportunity to
stage this production for the first time. “
Former recipients of the (previously named
Adelaide Tambo Human Rights Award) have included Irene Stephanou’s Searching For Somebody, the Market
Theatre Laboratory’s Noord! and Drama
For Life’s Afriqueer.
(To
link direct to the NAF site click on the large banner that runs across the top
of this blog)
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