Text Me When You Arrive is a powerful, satirical and physical exploration of the plight of the everyday South African woman through the lens of a playful YouTube channel.
Three ladies explore how women navigate their way through the ‘rules’ set by rape culture, patriarchy and social media in their daily lives on their seemingly impossible mission to not get raped and killed in South Africa. The play investigates social media trends around gender based violence and questions the practicality of hashtags and the ability of the digital space to drive tangible change on the scourge that is gender based violence in South Africa.
This piece consistently engages its audience in order to create space for all of us to realise where and how we relate to the ‘rules’ that ‘keep women safe’.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written and performed by Aaliyah Matintela, Thulisile Nduvane and Sibahle Mangena
Directed by Sinenhlanhla Mgeyi
Mentored by MoMo Matsunyane
Presented in collaboration with POPArt Productions.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
THULISILE NDUVANE (Cast)
Thuli Nduvane, is an Actress and Theatre-Maker from Johannesburg. Although she’s always loved theatre, she only began to pursue a career in the Performing Arts at the Market Theatre Laboratory after completing her degree in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Pretoria.
After graduating from The Lab in 2018, she joined the resident youth theatre company; Kwasha! Under the Market Theatre and Windybrow Arts Centre. Kwasha! walked away with two Awards from Standard Bank: a Bronze Ovation, as well as a Best Ensemble Ovation for their production Currently (G)old (dir. Aalliyah Matintela & Sinenhlanhla Mgeyi). Later that year, the company, directed by the TheatreDuo, staged Eugene Ionesco’s Rhinoceros in collaboration with the French Institute (IFAS).
She co-devised the Naledi Award nominated satire, Text Me When You Arrive. The show highlights issues around plight of women living in the rape capital of the world as well as issues of GBV in the nation.
With a few commercials under her belt, Thuli shot her first shortfilm with Heartlines & Quizzical Pictures for SABC in 2022. She played the lead role of Melodi in the Fathers Matter film ‘Melodi’.
She currently works as a talent agent at Canvas Casting Artist Management based in Johannesburg.
AALLIYAH ZAMA MATINTELA (Cast)
Aalliyah Zama Matintela is an Actress, Theatre Maker, Director and playwright from Johannesburg. She is a graduate from the Market Theatre Laboratory, where she got a chance to learn different techniques and grow her skills in the craft. She directed and performed in various Community Theatre festivals and won stunning awards for her work.
Highlights of her career include performing in the Africa Day Spectacle in 2017, directed by Omphile Molusi as well as being cast in a supporting role in ’21 Wandah’ directed by Mwenya Kabwe in 2017.
In 2018 she was cast in a supporting role in the play ‘Platitudes’ directed by Nondumiso Msimanga. She co-directed the play “Marose”, which won Best Student Production in National Arts Festival 2018. She also directed “Currently (G)Old!”, which won a Standard Back Ovation at the National Arts Festival, and which was nominated for 3 Naledi Awards in 2019. In 2021 she performed in Kgaube written and directed by Thabang Gabogope and “Text Me When You Arrive” which she co-created. She’s also done work on television, stirring in Adverts such as Consol and Chicken’Lickin.
SIBAHLE MANGENA (Cast)
Sibahle Mangena born and raised in Johannesburg. She is an actor, writer, and theatre maker and Naledi nominated director with an interest in body movement and text. She graduated from the Market Theatre Laboratory in Practical performance and theatre making in 2017. Her focus has always been on experimentation with the grotesque, play, emotion, physicality and vocal preparation as principles of embodied performance. Her main work is creating new work through devising, workshopping and improvisation.
Her repertoire of work includes several works such as, Umsebenzi ka Bra Shakes (The work of Shakespeare), Umthandazo, Keys to a Great Poetic Game, Houseboy by William Kentridge, Mandla Mbothwe’s HOW |Showing the Making created as part of different programs at The Centre for the Less Good Idea and Naledi nominated Text me when you arrive.
SINENHLANHLA MGEYI (Director)
Sinenhlanhla Mgeyi (28) is a theatre maker, director, dancer, choreographer and an actor who graduated from the Market Theatre Laboratory in 2017.
He began his performance training under the guidance of Howard ‘Brother’ Dladla at the Zase Laduma Art Centre in Mpumalanga. Following working at community art centres around the country, he joined the Market Theatre Laboratory.
Highlights of his performing career include roles in “Lampedusa Beach” (dir Raissa Bringi, Italy), “The Love of the Nightingale” (dir. Nondumiso Msimanga) and the award winning touring production “Hani : The Legacy” (dir. Leila Henriques). He also performed in “Rhinoceros” (dir. theatre Duo.)
As a director, he has been part of several award winning productions, including the winner of the Hillbrow Inner City Schools festival production “Thwala”, which he co-directed with Gcebile Dlamini, the National Arts Festival Student festival award winner “Pop I Cherri”, co-directed by Tumeka Matintela as well as “Currently (G)Old” which he co-directed with Aalliyah Matintela that won Best ensemble and Bronze ovation award in Makhanda National Art Festival.
Following his graduation from the Market Lab, he toured to the United Kingdom where he took part in a collaborative co-production “Encountering the Other” under the guidance of Clara Vaughan and Jaques de Silva. He then joined the Kwasha! Theatre Company, where he has been part of major productions such as “Error SA Comedy” (dir. Christopher D. Betts) and “The Little Prince” (dir. Mwenya Kabwe and Clara Vaughan). His currently a trainer at the Market Theatre Laboratory.
KHETHUKUTHULA JELE (Stage Manager)
Khethukuthula Jele is a performer, writer and administrator from Newcastle, KwaZulu Natal.
She trained at The Market Theatre Laboratory where she graduated in 2019. During her school career, she had the privilege of working with directors such as Andrew Buckland, Mwenya Kabwe and Mahlatsi Mokgonyana, to name a few. She was part of the devising cast of Le Journal, which won the best actors and best writing award at the 2019 National Arts Festival Student Fringe. Professionally, Khethu has worked as a stage manager for the production Text Me when You Arrive and as a performer and brand ambassador for Tshepo 1Million.
An overall dreamer at heart, she chooses to focus her career and energy toward storytelling, embodying shared experiences and producing alternative worlds and realities that inspire hope and make us a better people.
