He may not be a scientist with fancy degrees behind his name, but this has not stopped a King William’s Town actor from turning on thousands of children to the wonders of science.
Performing under trees in Kenya, setting up stage in a Transkei sheep kraal and packing in hundreds at a time at the swanky Guy Butler Theatre at Scifest Africa in Grahamstown this week, playwright and actor Sibongiseni S’bo Ntshebe is on a mission to make science fun.
“Science does not have to be so boring that kids fall asleep in class,” the hip 33-year-old explains.
“It can also be fun. Educational theatre is important because it helps make things easier for kids to grasp.”
Although born with an enquiring mind, Ntshebe was not scientifically inclined during school and only discovered his passion for science after completing his drama studies at Lovedale College in 2005 and moving to Grahamstown.
After two years doing physical theatre with Janet Buckland and the acclaimed Ubom! drama company in Grahamstown, Ntshebe studied Shakespeare before branching off into science-themed theatre.
He was given a contract by the Paleontological Society Trust (PAST) to manage outreach initiatives in the Eastern Cape.
When the contract ended, Ntshebe and a few colleagues were so hooked on the science of physical theatre they started Beneath The Skin productions.
He said the friends were so poor when they started that they shared one egg and two slices of bread between themselves for meals. Since then he has done three Scifests and worked for a range of science outreach groups.
A matriculant of Tembalabantu Senior Secondary School in Zwelitsha, Ntshebe said going off to rural areas to inspire the youth by performing on unlikely stages not only woke marginalised people up to the wonders of science but also gave them a taste of life options within physical theatre.
According to Ntshebe, educating young minds through physical theatre, especially if it is energetic and uses few props, often made difficult things easier to grasp.
“Kids learn from seeing things that are exciting. Just standing there and preaching can be very boring.”
This year at Scifest, Ntshebe is involved with two productions – Speed Hunters (about the Bloodhound Supersonic Car record attempt) and a PAST theatre workshop called All From One about how closely connected the DNA of all humans is.
Ntshebe said the workshop was followed by a session with PAST chief scientist Professor Rob Blumenschine.
Scifest Africa director Anja Fourie yesterday said they had placed a bigger focus on arts and the sciences this year.
“Scifest is trying to include the humanities more. We are moving in a direction that gives innovation a platform to inspire and drive it.”
Fourie said physical theatre and story telling struck a particular chord in rural communities.— davidm@dispatch.co.za
Actor makes science fun using theatre
Performing under trees in Kenya, setting up stage in a Transkei sheep kraal and packing in hundreds at a time at the swanky Guy Butler Theatre at Scifest Africa in Grahamstown this week, playwright and actor Sibongiseni S’bo Ntshebe is on a mission to make science fun.
“Science does not have to be so boring that kids fall asleep in class,” the hip 33-year-old explains.
“It can also be fun. Educational theatre is important because it helps make things easier for kids to grasp.”
Although born with an enquiring mind, Ntshebe was not scientifically inclined during school and only discovered his passion for science after completing his drama studies at Lovedale College in 2005 and moving to Grahamstown.
After two years doing physical theatre with Janet Buckland and the acclaimed Ubom! drama company in Grahamstown, Ntshebe studied Shakespeare before branching off into science-themed theatre.
He was given a contract by the Paleontological Society Trust (PAST) to manage outreach initiatives in the Eastern Cape.
When the contract ended, Ntshebe and a few colleagues were so hooked on the science of physical theatre they started Beneath The Skin productions.
He said the friends were so poor when they started that they shared one egg and two slices of bread between themselves for meals. Since then he has done three Scifests and worked for a range of science outreach groups.
A matriculant of Tembalabantu Senior Secondary School in Zwelitsha, Ntshebe said going off to rural areas to inspire the youth by performing on unlikely stages not only woke marginalised people up to the wonders of science but also gave them a taste of life options within physical theatre.
According to Ntshebe, educating young minds through physical theatre, especially if it is energetic and uses few props, often made difficult things easier to grasp.
“Kids learn from seeing things that are exciting. Just standing there and preaching can be very boring.”
This year at Scifest, Ntshebe is involved with two productions – Speed Hunters (about the Bloodhound Supersonic Car record attempt) and a PAST theatre workshop called All From One about how closely connected the DNA of all humans is.
Ntshebe said the workshop was followed by a session with PAST chief scientist Professor Rob Blumenschine.
Scifest Africa director Anja Fourie yesterday said they had placed a bigger focus on arts and the sciences this year.
“Scifest is trying to include the humanities more. We are moving in a direction that gives innovation a platform to inspire and drive it.”
Fourie said physical theatre and story telling struck a particular chord in rural communities.— davidm@dispatch.co.za
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