It was a life-long dream to produce a play about South Africa’s rich history that motivated producer Jenine Collocott to write
Making Mandela.After received funding in 2009, Collocott and her team set about researching local history in the hopes of finding a great story.
While reading about apartheid and the ANC’s struggle for freedom, Collocott was drawn to reflect on former president Nelson Mandela’s childhood.
“We all know about Mandela – his life has been broadcast both locally and abroad for years now,” she explained.
“But through my research I found there is not a lot said about his childhood and how he grew up.
“And as we all know, it’s your childhood that shapes the kind of man you will be, so I decided to tell that story.”
The play kicks off in Mvezo when Mandela was born and details his parent’s move to Qunu, his mother’s home village.
After his father dies at the age of nine, young Mandela moves to Mqhekezweni, where he is entrusted into the chief’s care.
Told superbly by a cast of three with the use of vividly lifelike masks, the play details the struggle icon’s primary and high school education and later his tertiary life.
The multilingual (Xhosa, English, Afrikaans) story runs parallel to apartheid-era president PW Botha’s rise to power – and the audience watches as a young Mandela becomes aware of the racial injustices in his country.
It’s curtains down when Mandela arrives in Johannesburg.
“I decided on a cast of three mostly because of limited funds but also because I felt it would be more intimate,” Collocott explained.
“Mlindeli Zondi, who plays Mandela, is originally from the Eastern Cape and I lectured him at one point. I knew he would be perfect for the role.
“It was the same with Jaques de Silva. We knew each other and I needed someone who could speak Afrikaans and he fitted perfectly.
“I held auditions for the final cast member and after just seconds of watching Barileng Malebye I knew she was the one. I love how she can literally transform her entire body to become someone else. It’s absolutely amazing to watch her.”
The masks were handmade by Collocott, who studied clay mask making in Italy. “I use the masks in some of my other productions too. It’s physical theatre and I love it.”
Making Mandela is on at Glennie Hall until Saturday. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Play on Mandela childhood fills writer’s lifelong dream
After received funding in 2009, Collocott and her team set about researching local history in the hopes of finding a great story.
While reading about apartheid and the ANC’s struggle for freedom, Collocott was drawn to reflect on former president Nelson Mandela’s childhood.
“We all know about Mandela – his life has been broadcast both locally and abroad for years now,” she explained.
“But through my research I found there is not a lot said about his childhood and how he grew up.
“And as we all know, it’s your childhood that shapes the kind of man you will be, so I decided to tell that story.”
The play kicks off in Mvezo when Mandela was born and details his parent’s move to Qunu, his mother’s home village.
After his father dies at the age of nine, young Mandela moves to Mqhekezweni, where he is entrusted into the chief’s care.
Told superbly by a cast of three with the use of vividly lifelike masks, the play details the struggle icon’s primary and high school education and later his tertiary life.
The multilingual (Xhosa, English, Afrikaans) story runs parallel to apartheid-era president PW Botha’s rise to power – and the audience watches as a young Mandela becomes aware of the racial injustices in his country.
It’s curtains down when Mandela arrives in Johannesburg.
“I decided on a cast of three mostly because of limited funds but also because I felt it would be more intimate,” Collocott explained.
“Mlindeli Zondi, who plays Mandela, is originally from the Eastern Cape and I lectured him at one point. I knew he would be perfect for the role.
“It was the same with Jaques de Silva. We knew each other and I needed someone who could speak Afrikaans and he fitted perfectly.
“I held auditions for the final cast member and after just seconds of watching Barileng Malebye I knew she was the one. I love how she can literally transform her entire body to become someone else. It’s absolutely amazing to watch her.”
The masks were handmade by Collocott, who studied clay mask making in Italy. “I use the masks in some of my other productions too. It’s physical theatre and I love it.”
Making Mandela is on at Glennie Hall until Saturday. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
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