Shadowing the uncomfortable mirror of society at Market Theatre

Playwright Isithunzi debuted at the Ramolao Makhene this past Wednesday for a select few.

June 2, 2017

Sphindile Mbatha 2 minutes read

The powerful backdrop of their mom who was humiliated in the video.

We are at a time where South Africans are faced with a crisis of femicide outbreaks, and since it’s youth month; The Market Theatre had a powerful opening night for a play that reflected the mirror of society on race.

Isithunzi, the winner of the 2016 Zwakala Festival opened to an intimate audience and dropped very powerful ideologies into the air leaving a thought-provoking bitter taste in audience’s mouths.

Set in 2007 in the Free State, the play opened with a video that went viral. The video showing University of the Free State white Afrikaans students making cleaners of the institution participate in what deemed questionable activities for all who saw it and at the same time humiliated the women in the video.

Dubbed “the Reitz Four video” the play displays the accounts the effect it had on one family.

Isithunzi, which means “shadow” is about two brothers on opposite sides of the fence with the incident.

Scelo played by Sipho Zakwe believes in a rainbow nation and reconciliation.

**A defining moment when Scelo (Sipho Zakwe) realised that his brother Muzi was right about his friend**.

His brother Muzi played by Musawenkisi Kumalo believes in avenging his mother’s ordeal with the same kind of cruelty his mother had to endure.

23 years after democracy, the question, of whether racism still exists in today’s society is raised.

Brothers Muzi, displays his anger of the video that went viral and feels like he needs to retaliate to the perpetrators to win his mother’s dignity back.

Scelo is very much set on trying to be diplomatic with his reaction and believes talking it out with the perpetrators one being one of what he thinks is a good friend is a solution to making things right.

This play explores the question of dignity, respect, and reconciliation under the umbrella of the play of shadows.

Brothers on the opposite sides of the fence faced with the same problem of trying to deal with the humiliation.

**That moment when the brothers decided to call it a truce unaware that one brother wouldn’t stick to his word**.

In their struggle in the battle between right and wrong, an almost tragedy brings the brothers together to join hands in handling the situation.

Through a whirlwind of events, it takes audiences on a journey of the nation’s reaction as well and how it affected the brothers.

A powerful performance by Zakwe and Kumalo who displayed finesse when slipping into different characters throughout the production.

The two-man show made the audience go through a series of emotions that deserved a standing ovation in the end.

So relevant to what youth month signifies for today’s youth, it’s certainly a must-see because it’s a mirror of what young people who fight the inner battle with their shadows to how to respond to events in the modern day that are painted to be racist.

So if you want to watch something thought-provoking, get your tickets for Sipho Zakwe’s playwright Isithunzi.