Listen to the sea at Square Space Theatre

LALELA uLwandle (listen to the sea) is the new production from Empatheatre, a group of researcher-activist-theatre makers, which will tour coastal towns in KZN before having a formal theatre run in the UKZN’s Square Space Theatre from 15 to 19 October.

Lalela uLwandle is an interactive immersive theatre and public storytelling experience led by the Empatheatre collective.

The project makes visible the stories of living with the ocean that are seldom heard in the public domain.

Drawing from seven months of collaborative action research into the lives of different KZN citizens along the coast.

This project brings to the surface the lived realities of people involved directly and indirectly with the ocean, as well as creating a new social platform that makes public dialogue possible regarding the collective pressing concerns around the ocean’s health.

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The writing team, led by Neil Coppen with contributions from Helen Walne, Gcina Mhlophe, Mpume Mthombeni, Dylan McGarry, Taryn Pereira and Kira Erwin, pieced together oral histories, interviews, focus group discussions, archival research and traditional local stories into a rich and thickly described narrative of fictional characters hopes, dreams and concerns for our shared coastal and oceanic heritage.

Lalela uLwandle is performed by Durban-based actors Mpume Mtombeni, playing Nowandle, and isiZulu marine educator with an ancestral heritage in Zulu mysticism, Alison Cassels, playing Faye, a retired marine scientist and recent widow, and Rory Booth, playing Niren, a young South Durban Indian social and environmental activist, and descendant of a long line of Durban Indian fisher folk. This talented and award-winning cast perform a captivating production based on the first-hand testimonials that have been crafted into a theatrical journey.

The production is led by Dylan McGarry and Taryn Pereira at the Environmental Learning Research Centre, Rhodes University, in close collaboration with Kira Erwin at the Urban Futures Centre, Durban University of Technology and forms part of the One Ocean Hub, a global action research network led by Strathclyde University, and funded by the UKRI Global Challenge Research Fund. After the show the audience are encouraged to participate in a public dialogue space facilitated by the research team from Rhodes University and the Durban University of Technology.

For bookings contact Tamlynn Fleetwood: TamlynnF@dut.ac.za or 079 186 4423.

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