Cue Online (Grahamstown)
Jessica Blasé
5 July 2009
“When we artists stop making political theatre, then the politicians will know they have it easy.
That is how someone like Zuma became president because we did not criticise enough,” says Tsepo Wa Mamatu, the director of Mbeki and other Nightmares.
With the advent of democracy and Mbeki’s “quiet diplomacy”, it was as if political commentary in theatre followed a similar “shhh”. Now that Zuma is in power, perhaps the floor has opened up again for political theatre.
Martin Koboekae, director of Mr Flatnose, is adamant that political theatre has a vital role to play in South Africa. Mr Flatnose works as a satirical and comical look at public figures, and, especially, government institutions.
“During the apartheid era, people were extremely angry when doing protest theatre. Now people are not so angry, but I think we still have a responsibility to highlight certain political issues,” says Koboekae. But, as he argues, there is nothing wrong with doing this by “poking a bit of fun”.
Koboekae admits his work is sometimes seen as hard on politicians, but he says we absolutely shouldn’t shy away from our current political situation.
Our Government
“I am saying that here is our government, and here are their blunders ... with some light-hearted effects. Political issues are always with us and, as I have found, people are often not too happy about the government’s development.”
Tsepo Wa Mamatu, the director of Mbeki and Other Nightmares , feels passionately about the power of political theatre. The play focuses on the decisions made during the Mbeki presidency which Wa Mamatu openly critiques. “We must hold our political leaders accountable so we can have leaders we can be proud of,” says Wa Mamatu.
Although taking a political route makes sponsorships hard to come by, Wa Mamatu feels it is ultimately our responsibility to do so. “Five years on, we may have messed up our country and then our children will come to us and ask where we were when these people were destroying our country.”
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