Return of ‘Sarafina’ bowls over city audiences
SARAFINA, the world-class musical, is back home in Pretoria, more than a decade after the original version was performed at the SA State Theatre and it was greeted with a standing ovation as it opened on Friday night.
The well-known award-winning Broadway production, presented in association with Mbongeni Ngema and his company Committed Artists Theatricals, had the audience in laughter and tears.
“History was rewritten,” was the response of the audience as they left the Theatre at the end of the show on Friday. All agreed it was “uniquely magical”.
This Broadway hit is a musical experience with songs performed in the tradition of Mbaqanga, fused with jazz, rhythm and blues.
Sheila Mahlangu said she had last watched Sarafina when it was on at the State Theatre in 2004.
She said she returned to watch it on stage on Friday, and thus knew what to expect, but to her surprise everything was new.
“I thought the play would be the same as in 2004 when I last saw it. But, wow, everything was a surprise. It was history re-written,” said Mahlangu.
The cast members now consist of the “new generation” – most of whom were not born when the mastermind behind it, Dr Mbongeni Ngema, constructed it.
It is set during the 1976 uprising in Soweto and deals with a young schoolgirl who becomes embroiled in the riots and is tortured by the police.
The play takes place at the Morris Isaacson High School against the backdrop of students protesting against Afrikaans as a medium of instruction at school.
Martin Headger, from Johannesburg, said it was his first time watching Sarafina on stage and he was swept away by the choral and the band performances, more than by the acting.
“The choir and band were just the best collaboration that added a different element to the play, “said Headger.
The choir included the familiar songs of the play, Stimela and Freedom is Coming.
While many others were amazed by the choir and band, others paid great attention to the acting and the choreography which featured a lot of modern moves like “gwara-gwara”.
Baby Cele, who had also been part of the Sarafina Broadway cast playing “mistress” back then, shared her proud moments.
Cele said it was actually her first time watching Sarafina off-stage: “This is my first time watching Sarafina because I haven’t been part of the audience but the cast.”
Cele praised the cast for their outstanding performance, saying they took her back down memory lane. “The children have talent. I am overwhelmed. I am definitely going to bring my children to watch this, as it’s our history,” said Cele.
The musical was staged at the State Theatre in Pretoria in 1987 and later at various other venues across the country before it premiered on Broadway in January 1988, running until July 1989, with 597 performances and 11 previews.
It returned home to the State Theatre in 2004.