‘Boy Ntulikazi’: Breaking the silence
THE one-hander Boy Ntulikazi, which recently won the Baxter’s Best of Zabalaza for 2017, is now running at the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio for a limited season.
Boy Ntulikazi is a powerful drama, examining the decisions taken by individuals in trying circumstances, and the impact they have on future generations.
The play hinges on a finely-crafted physical performance by Thobani Nzuza, who wrote this thought-provoking piece in tandem with Kagiso Tsimakwane, and is complemented by a live musical accompaniment by Nhlanhla Zondi.
Boy Ntulikazi centres on a young man’s quest to find his biological mother. His search uncovers why he was abandoned at birth and casts light on the cycles of poverty and silence our society seems doomed to repeat.
Nzuza is from the uMlazi township in KwaZulu-Natal. In 2010 he started his training as a dancer, singer and actor at the local Buhle Bo uMlazi Community Arts Centre.
This month, while performing his production of Boy Ntulikazi at the Baxter, he will graduate with his National Diploma in Drama and Production Studies from the Durban University of Technology, where he has performed in many productions.
In addition to winning the Best of Zabalaza, Nzuza also received the Best Actor award.
The Zabalaza Theatre Festival was held in March and showcased about 50 productions from all over the Western Cape and other regions. As part of its commitment to development, the Best of Zabalaza production winner receives a full run and the opportunity to play to a wider audience. Boy Ntulikazi is the first Best of Zabalaza winner from KZN.
“I am really very happy that my work will be seen by a new and different audience,” says Nzuza. – Tonight Reporter