French Revolution to be revisited at Joburg Theatre in ‘1789’ stage production

Stories help people makes sense of the world they live in, and the older the period in which the story took place, the more important the story tends to become.

The French Revolution which began in 1789 and ended in 1799 was a watershed moment for citizens of France and the whole world. What happened in that decade has had an impact on how the world functions today.

That history will be revisited at the Joburg Theatre this August, as the Sibikwa Arts Centre, supported by Théâtre du Soleil and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), bring the 1789 play to the Joburg stage.

Founders of the Sibikwa Arts Centre, veteran theatre practitioners Phyllis Klotz and Smal Ndaba, have assembled an ensemble of actors and crew who bring this historical masterpiece to life.

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Transporting audiences

Poignantly named after the year the French Revolution began, 1789 is expected transports its audience to the streets of Paris – to a country in turmoil on the brink of a revolution – and follows the journey of a range of citizens and their rise against an oppressive regime in their quest for “liberty, equality and fraternity”.

“This is not an adaptation of a French play,” said co-director Klotz.

“We have stayed true to the themes of the piece as originally devised by Ariane Mnouchkine and Théâtre du Soleil. We have no doubt that the audience will feel the echoes of resonance ripple in another revolution.”

1789 played to sold out performances at the National Arts Festival and won the Naledi Award for Innovation in Theatre.

Audiences can anticipate engaging with the cast adorned in period costume from the moment they enter the performance space in the rear of the Mandela Theatre.

Under the musical direction of Joel Zuma, the cast brings French Revolutionary songs to life inviting the spectators to become active participants in the revolutionary journey.

The cast includes Mlindeli Zondi, Khanyisile Ngwabe, Masiza Mbali and Mthobisi Khanyile. Wilhelm Disbergen has designed an inventive ground-breaking set and period costumes.

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