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Mirroring the past: At times, the actors in Under the Shade of a Tree I Sat and Wept step out of their roles entirely, debating the material they are performing, questioning its meaning or even its validity. It’s here that the play’s meta-theatrical dimension comes into focus. Photo: Thandile Zwebanzi
APARTHEID

What does it mean to forgive? A play asks, 30 years after the TRC

Drawing from archives and lived experience, the international production probes the emotional and political complexities of reconciliation in a fractured world

  • Kibo Ngowi
6 min read
Spectacular: The Lion King production in London recently won the best musical production in the Black British Theatre Awards and boasts a crew of over 150 people, which includes many South African actors such as Thenjiwe Nofemele (above) who plays the role of Rafiki. Photo: Supplied
AFRICAN CULTURE

South African stars roar in London

From the opening Circle of Life to the final roar, South African performers make every moment of The Lion King resonate deeply

  • Aarti Bhana
9 min read
Full on: The world’s most demanding musical lands in South Africa, guided by veteran performer Matt Krzan (centre), whose passion and precision keep Cats alive. Photos: Jesse Kramer
ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER

The new cats’ meow

South Africa’s new Cats cast learns the brutal beauty behind a musical defined by sweat, stamina and sheer ensemble brilliance

  • Keith Bain
8 min read