The Market Theatre Laboratory and Kwasha! score big at the National Arts Festival

The Market Theatre Laboratory and Kwasha! Theatre Company walked away with a combined four awards at the National Arts Festival this year. On the student platform, Le Journal, directed by second year students Chris Djuma and Dintshitile Mashile, won the Best Writer Award, while the Best Actor Award was given to the full cast. Last year, the Market Theatre Laboratory scooped the Best Production Award for Marose. Le Journal, an exciting and relevant new play exploring the world of the neglected newsreel and the role of ‘the news’ in society, continues the Market Theatre Laboratory’s record of presenting excellent and watchable student theatre. It will be staged at the Ramolao Makhene Theatre from 26 to 29 August later this year, so if you missed it in Makhanda, you can still catch it in Johannesburg!

Kwasha! Theatre Company bagged two awards at the Festival: a Bronze Ovation Award and a Best Ensemble Award for their self-created work, Currently (G)old. Directed by company members Sinenhlanhla Mgeyi and Aalliyah Matintela, and mentored by Market Theatre Laboratory alumni Prince Lamla, the play explores how young South Africans perceive and exercise their human rights, using satire to interrogate and at times ridicule their relevance to the lived experience of many people in South Africa. Currently (G)old will be presented at the 969 Festival from 19 to 21 July at the Wits Amphitheatre.

Promoting artistic innovation and theatre excellence are the motivations behind the National Arts Festival’s Standard Bank Ovation Awards. Recognition such as this helps emerging actors and theatre-makers find their voices in a uniquely challenging industry, and the Market Theatre Laboratory’s success is testament to the work of a dedicated team devoted to the development of cutting-edge theatre that provokes public dialogue. Clara Vaughan, the Head of the Market Theatre Laboratory, says, “the consistent high quality of theatre we are producing shows that we have a working model to empower emerging artists and arts leaders to achieve their potential. Everyone at the Lab, including permanent staff, teachers, students and artists, really give their all – and it’s wonderful when that work is acknowledged and valued.”