By Mpumzi Mshweshwe
The Don’t Shoot play, directed by award-winning director Busisiwe Mazibuko, returns home after a two-week stint in Kenya last year as part of the Kenya International Theatre Festival.
The play was first showcased in South African theatres last year. But it got a tour opportunity after Mazibuko by chance came across a post on Facebook advertising for applications for theatre shows to be showcased in Kenya. Without hesitation, she immediately applied, having always wished to travel abroad with her show.
The play’s story revolves around four black men who escape slavery from Zimbabwe and make their attempts of returning home to South Africa. The four men are Deon, Peter, Michael, and Stan played by actors Nkosinathi Nkosi, Thaphelo Mogashoa, Pheti Motshabi, and Vuyisile Mqwashu respectively.
In the previous years’ show the play did well in educating the viewers about hardships that black people around the world have suffered, combining elements of slavery in America and suffering under the apartheid regime of South Africa.
In the previous years’ show the play did well in educating the viewers about hardships that black people around the world have suffered, combining elements of slavery in America and suffering under the apartheid regime of South Africa.
The ‘Don’t Shoot’ play was chosen as the closing show during the closing ceremony of the event – the Kenya International Theatre Festival. Additionally, the theatre did not only receive appreciation and applause in Kenya but in South Africa as well. it won the award for best production last year.
In an interview with NewsSA on Sunday, reflecting on her opportunity, Mazibuko would say, “After applying, I received a call and I was told that my application was successful, and just like that I was going to go. The sad part about it was that we were not going to be funded upfront for the travel, but they were going to provide us with travel, food, and accommodation expenses when we arrive are there.”
“The challenge of finding the finances was an obstacle that Mazibuko and her production were able to overcome through applying for emergency funding from the National Arts Council. “It is something that I would like to stress that there is an emergency funding that you can apply for when you are travelling to another country,” she says.
The Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation also provided her with additional funding for the trip.
“The play is different now than it was before,” says Mazibuko. She mentions how she would use her experiences in Kenya and integrated them into the play to make it more exciting.
Don’t Shoot was a must watch theatre show last year and after its successes and recognition both at home and in Kenya it has returned to provide viewers with yet another experience and opportunity to reflect on the history of black people and their sufferings.
When it plays in the State Theatre in Pretoria on the 26 April the play will be different but core messages and themes will be the same. Asked about what next for Don’t Shoot, an excited Mazibuko says: “Our next trip is to perform in Rwanda, Malawi and Kenya again.” – NewsSA
