Iphi ‘Africa Project based in Mbabane Swaziland is collaborating with Laway Arts from South Africa in a first of its kind theatre project in the country. As part of this collaboration a five days creative workshop was conducted at Malolotja Environmental Education Centre from 15th -20th May 2010. The two organizations worked together in training actors in different theatre skills that included puppetry, music, story telling, mime and dance among others. As a result of the workshop a storyline for a play entitled “A Drop in the Land” was developed and went into production during the month of August 2010.
The production will be staged in 12 venues around Swaziland, the Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo 2010 and the School festival at Emalahleni in South Africa in October 2010. Eight Swazi theatre artists are taking part in the play which is being co-directed by Nelson Mapako of Iphi 'Africa and Mavuso Macebo of Laway Arts south Africa. The project is funded by the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and development from the Netherlands
PLAY SUMMARY
The beginning of rain is but a single drop. The play “A Drop in the Land” is a 60 minutes metaphoric reflection of the current worldwide land conflicts. The play that exhibits a lot of the physical theatre genre fuses puppetry, music, story telling, mime and dance in tackling the question of failure by men and nature/animals to coexist. Each claims the absolute rights to the land only for the Ligwalagwala (Knysna Loerie- a Swazi royal symbolic bird) to reunite the warring factions.
“A DROP IN THE LAND”A co-production of Iphi ‘Africa Project- Swaziland & Laway Arts – South Africa
Performed By: Eight (8) Swazi Artists-Iphi ‘Africa Project
Co-directed by: Macebo Mavuso (Laway Arts- South Africa)
&
Nelson Mapako (Iphi ‘Africa Project- Swaziland)
Production Assistant: Thulile Nozipho Macdonald
Project Manager: Toke Van Oorsouw (Laway Arts- Netherlands)
LIST OF ARTISTS
Sibusiso Malandzela- male
Nontobeko Nkonyane-female
Njabulo Nxumalo- male
Deborah Malandzela-female
Colani Themba- male
Lungile Mabuza-female
Thando Sicelo Magagula- male
Nokulunga Zikalala-female
