NEW VOICE
Young talent makes her debut
UGIE upcoming playwright, director and theatre maker Nwabisa Plaatjie is bringing her latest production, 23 Years, a Month and 7 Days, to the National Arts Festival later this month.
The University of Cape Town graduate wrote the play in 2016 while she was doing her internship at the Magnet Theatre. She said the play was a direct response to her experience as a final-year student during the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall movements.
“A lot happened during that time and I felt it was only right that I tell this story from an individual’s point of view. The #RhodesMustFall protests started in March and by November we had #FeesMustFall. It was a traumatic time for students.
“Many failed that year and others were terrified to come back,” she said, adding that a lot of the students involved in the movements were still dealing with the trauma.
“There are still pending court cases from 2015. The public has forgotten about the movements but we haven’t. We were fighting a system that is meant to bring us down and that is still the case,” she said.
Plaatjie said she wanted to write a play that gave attention to a female voice, one who was not necessarily revolutionary or a hero. “The main character in 23
Years, a Month and 7 Days , is a young woman, Nontyatyambo, who is a first-year student and new to activism and protest. But she is human, she is present and her experiences are acknowledged.”
The lead character evokes some of Plaatjie’s experiences when she first arrived at university.
“For me, it was admirable to see young people standing together. I stood my ground and I found my voice in the process. It amazes me how much courage I had at the age of 23,” she said.
Plaatjie said the play would show both sides of students who joined the protests and those who did not. “There were students who decided not to join the protects and they had their reasons. This play will give future university students a glimpse of what they can expect when such movements happen.
“We still do not have free education and this is still a problem for our generation,” she said.
However, government has introduced free education for students whose families earn less than R350 000 a year.
Plaatjie said when they decided to join the movement they were not prepared for what lay ahead.
“No one told us how hard it would get. It still lingers in our minds and hearts.”
The play, will be staged on the fringe at the festival from June 28 to July 7 at 10am daily. It will be at Princess Alice Hall and the ticket price is R50 on June 28 and R100 thereafter.