Bayede Production in partnership with NKA Soweto are currently preparing for the production of their new play titled She Fears.
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The play is written and directed by playwright, Pat Mlaba who is known for working closely with the legendary Gibson Kente, popularly known as the father of black theatre in South Africa.
Kenete took Mlaba under his wing to polish his acting skills which resulted in his professional debut in 1986 together with the much-revered cast of Mbogeni Ngema’s Sarafina where he played the part of Colgate.
According to Mlaba, the play features young talented actors from around Soweto with an effort to enhance their skills and provide them with more experience in acting.
He added that it also aimed at reducing the issue of unemployment among young black actors as most of them struggle to make a name for themselves in the industry.
“We want to give them an opportunity to showcase their artistic skills because we believe that there is a lot of talent in our townships,” Mlaba said.
Each actor was previously called for auditions which took place at Diepkloof Multipurpose Hall where the rehearsals take place.
When going through the plot of the play, Mlaba highlights that the play is about the increasing issue of Gender Based Violence, poverty and unemployment in the townships.
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It highlights the life of a young woman who was sexually abused by her step farther and was later blamed for his actions.
It also features well known old songs that Mlaba and his team teaches the actors, with each song having its meaning depending on the plot.
“As much there is so much information on social ills that our people face, we still need to teach and show viewers that these are the realities that most people encounter and should therefore not be swept under the carpet.
“GBV is a serious pandemic in our country caused by various issues and for us, the only way we can win this fight is by teaching continuously about it and continue making information accessible.”
When the rehearsals are completed, the play will be performed in local schools and theatres with an effort to teach about social issues.
President of NKA Soweto, Sipho Mazomba expressed gratitude to the team and actors for all their work.
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“We hope sponsors in the area can come on board and fund this great initiative because we do everything from our own pockets and its quite hard but no matter how dry our pockets become, we are not intending to stop,” Mazomba said.
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