Veteran actor “Papa G” has brought his moral degeneration play titled Who’s to Blame to East London schools.
Papa G, whose real name is Darlington Michaels, was in East London last month to promote the production with some of his team.
Unfortunately their promo tour was cut short when playwright and theatre director Michael Lubisi plunged 30m to his death while trying to force his way out of a flat in Amalinda.
The pair, Lubisi and Michaels, wrote and directed the play which tackles issues of drug abuse by pupils and teenage pregnancy.
Michaels and the rest of the team returned to the city this week to finish what they started last month.
So far they have taken the show to East London Science College and will today visit St Johns Primary School. They will also visit Buffalo City College and a couple of other schools in the city.
Michaels said the show focused on the moral degeneration of the youth and the play revolves around 12 girls who all tell their stories on how they fell pregnant and the many challenges they face.
Production manager Noah Xulu said the show started off with Michaels giving the pupils motivational talks.
“He tells them how they should live their lives and the importance of making the right choices that would affect their future positively,” he said.
Michaels, who took time off television work to focus on his health, said he had been amazed by the way he had been received by the pupils.
“I am happy to see such a positive response after each show. The pupils are keen on what we are doing and even the questions they ask show that they are interested and are listening,” he said.
Xulu said they decided to come to the Eastern Cape because of the lack of theatre productions. “People always overlook such provinces because of the lack of resources. In Johannesburg everything is in front of us but not for some of the rural kids in the province.
“We are not only bringing this play but we are also doing workshops for people interested in theatre.”
Xulu said one of their future plans was to open an arts academy in East London.
“We would like to develop the East London youth and produce the next big theatre stars,” he said.
He added that they would be taking the production to Port Elizabeth as well. The team will be in the province until May 20. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
Veteran ‘Papa G’ brings play with message to city
Papa G, whose real name is Darlington Michaels, was in East London last month to promote the production with some of his team.
Unfortunately their promo tour was cut short when playwright and theatre director Michael Lubisi plunged 30m to his death while trying to force his way out of a flat in Amalinda.
The pair, Lubisi and Michaels, wrote and directed the play which tackles issues of drug abuse by pupils and teenage pregnancy.
Michaels and the rest of the team returned to the city this week to finish what they started last month.
So far they have taken the show to East London Science College and will today visit St Johns Primary School. They will also visit Buffalo City College and a couple of other schools in the city.
Michaels said the show focused on the moral degeneration of the youth and the play revolves around 12 girls who all tell their stories on how they fell pregnant and the many challenges they face.
Production manager Noah Xulu said the show started off with Michaels giving the pupils motivational talks.
“He tells them how they should live their lives and the importance of making the right choices that would affect their future positively,” he said.
Michaels, who took time off television work to focus on his health, said he had been amazed by the way he had been received by the pupils.
“I am happy to see such a positive response after each show. The pupils are keen on what we are doing and even the questions they ask show that they are interested and are listening,” he said.
Xulu said they decided to come to the Eastern Cape because of the lack of theatre productions. “People always overlook such provinces because of the lack of resources. In Johannesburg everything is in front of us but not for some of the rural kids in the province.
“We are not only bringing this play but we are also doing workshops for people interested in theatre.”
Xulu said one of their future plans was to open an arts academy in East London.
“We would like to develop the East London youth and produce the next big theatre stars,” he said.
He added that they would be taking the production to Port Elizabeth as well. The team will be in the province until May 20. — poliswap@dispatch.co.za
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