Vuk’u Cave takes it all on

The Rhodes Drama Department will present its annual orientation theatre production at 4.30pm all next week. Titled ‘vuk’u cave’, the production is designed to challenge students’ preconceptions and make them aware of some of the risks and choices they will face.

The production also aims to provide new students with enough information to help them make appropriate decisions.

The work is driven by a transformative agenda, and authentically deals with the lived experiences of students at this university.

The material excavated by the cast during the creation process includes a wide range of sensitive but important topics, including racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, protest action, and substance abuse. The show is workshopped by a cast of student performers under the leadership of senior MA Drama students, and supervised by Drama Department staff.

The provocative style of presentation in- cludes the opportunity to engage critically with the actors during the show, to test opinions and exchange views.

Using a wide range of theatrical strategies including humour, spectacle, intimacy and the immeasurable potential offered by the presence and immediacy of the players in performance, deeply serious issues are examined with intelligence, stereotypes are challenged, and identities and values explored.

This was an endorsement from the Dean of Students: “The show is refreshingly different, and it works because young people are acting in front of young people; nobody ‘preaches’, it is clever and witty, funny and wryly sad at times, and because it takes the risk of being highly provocative about some of the unmentionable topics that are so vital in young people’s lives: sex, fitting in, trying out new things etc.” Entrance is free. Contact Katlego Gabashane at k.gabashane@ ru.ac.za.