The play explores whether racism can be inherited, and whether it remains alive within the apartheid architecture, in the names of buildings and roads, in colonial statues and our public spaces.
The work is inspired by true events that took place in Schweizer-Reneke, where Grade R children Learskool Schweizer-Reneke were segregated based on the colour of their skin. Set somewhere outside the gates of the school, it wonders about the return of Kathy, also known as Ahmed Kathrada who is our freedom fighter and anti-apartheid activist, born in the town. Crossing the boundaries of linear time, the play seeks to understand how twisted colonial and apartheid heritage gets to be transmitted as knowledge in post democratic South Africa.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written by: Thabang Gabogope
Directed by: Thabang Gabogope
Choreographed by: Simphiwe Qhaba
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
THABANG GABOGOPE
Thabang Gabogope is a Theatre-Maker, Performer, Director and Playwright. He is a Market Theatre Laboratory 2018 graduate also holding an Honours Degree in the field of Applied Drama in education at Wits University. Following that, he enrolled in an online short-playwriting course by Greg Hammon.
He is a former teacher at the Market Theatre Laboratory for Voice and Theatre Context. He is a bursary recipient from Artinsideout from America for theatre-making during his second year of study at the Market Theatre. He was a Co-director of a National Art Festival Award-winning best student production “Marose” mentored by Greg Homann. He co-directed Etshomo and performed at Inner City High School Drama Festival at Hillbrow. He wrote and Directed KGAUBE premiered at the South African State Theatre under Youth Expressions Festival in 2021. He wrote and Directed Going to fetch Kathy which premiered at the National Arts Festival 2022. He is the winner of the Goethe-institut project space 2022 to mention a few. He is currently directing a production “His Legacy” written by Barnatious Sepato.
He joined community groups, and his performance experience includes The Tragedy of the Hopers, and the Last Testement, both directed by Onkaetse Maclean and performed at Community Art Festival and National Art Festival, and The Naked Dreams directed by Tebogo Ramose, performed at North West Cultural Calabash to mention a few.
His student productions at The Market Theatre Laboratory include The Oresteia Revised directed by Dorothy-Ann Gould, African Day Spectacle directed by Omphile Molusi, and The Saga of a City Hermit directed by Monageng “Vice” Motshabi.
