(Above: Cast in rehearsals ahead of their
performance on July 19 at the Playhouse. Pix: Pubmat)
Esokuqala – a contemporary
musical dance drama, The South African conundrum: living life in suburbia while
honouring the call of our deeply-rooted heritage:
There will be one performance in the Playhouse Drama on Saturday July 19 at 18h00 and another one at the Imbazwana Arts Centre on August 23, 2025.
Esokuqala which uses music, dance and drama to tell a pertinent story of the new South Africa: the spiritual conflict between the old world and the new, does a three-stop KZN tour: Playhouse Drama on July 19 at 18h00 and Imbazwana Arts Centre in Umkhanyakude District Municipality on August 23, 2025, at 18h00 as well as a possible performance in Pietermaritzburg.
Internationally-renowned musical theatre writer, director and choreographer Lucky Cele says: “This is a dilemma which many of us battle with. As a generation of young adults living pretty much completely in the city, with all of the trappings of suburbia, how do we still authentically honour our culture and respect our past?”
Esokuqala unpacks this complex issue. The premise is a family of doctors, who are prominent Christians in the community, give birth to a child who is strongly indoctrinated by ancestral powers. The parents, and those close to them, need to critically examine the battle of spirituality and make some difficult decisions. Can we honour one’s ancestors while praying to a Christian God? Esokuqala presents traditional versus western beliefs and the place both have within family and contemporary society. Is there a solution? And can a compromise be found where one can live authentically with African tradition and Christian world views?
“The true alignment of spirituality to humanity is the real understanding of life,” considers Cele.
The search for meaning and battle between different spiritual paths, is told through a blend of spoken word and dance by a cast of 25 – a fusion of well-known creatives and emerging artists from around KZN. To make it accessible to a wide an audience as possible, the narration is 70% English and 30% Zulu.
Esokuqala is written, directed and choreographed by Lucky Cele and Musical Director is Thandanani Gasa, produced by Ulozolo Youth Organisation. A youth-led organisation empowering KZN artists with business skills to thrive within the Creative and Cultural Industry. It features Andile Mswazi and Zinhle Ndelu in the lead roles.
The music is combinational of modern classical gospel sounds and deep indigenous cultural music.
The show had its inaugural staging at the Stable Theatre last festive season and has been reworked and redeveloped for the Playhouse performance. The production has been supported by the National Arts Council and the National Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.
The Playhouse Drama date is July 19, 2025, from 18h00 to 20h00.
Tickets R100 booked through Webtickets
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