Motuba spreads wings on stage
Diaparo Tsa Mama deals with loss and grief
With her TV acting and scriptwriting profile well-documented, Rorisang Motuba is spreading her wings to stage and theatre directing.
Motuba makes her debut in theatre directing with her own play Diaparo Tsa Mama (my mother’s clothes) that is staged virtually by Market Theatre. The play is part of the series of 10 productions of “Salute the Playwright“, an initiative by the Newtown-based arts institution.
Written and directed by Motuba, the two-hander that features Lerato Gwebu and Ziaphora Dakile, is on virtually until June 26.
Diaparo Tsa Mama is a touching story that deals with emotions of loss, grief, resentment and womanhood. It is a conversation of two sisters on the eve of the burial of their mother. For the 35-year-old, the story is a very personal one and inspired by her own experience and others who have lost their mothers due to
Covid-19 or through other situations. The actor lost her mother in 2007 and working on the play brought back all those sad memories.
“It is a story that it is close to home, and also I know people in my community who recently lost their parents, especially mothers. Some of the conversations that are in the play are definitely versions that we had with my sisters,” she says.
“You can never stop missing your mother. The process of writing the show, it reminded me of what I went through. For me, there was no escaping because I had to be involved in the writing and directing. Rehearsing the show was a rollercoaster of emotions.”
Born and bred in Johannesburg, Motuba uses the play as a therapy to heal from her own loss. She admits that art has always been therapeutic for her. Working on the play was healing, enlighten and triggering for her, but not in a dramatic way. Though the whole experience was nerve-wrecking, she is pleased her team managed to put everything together in just 13 days.
“There were some magical moments when we were rehearsing the play. I had amazing actors and it was an amazing
experience working with them. I found myself holding back tears when I was directing the show. Some days were not easy. I feel we’ve done something special and that people are going to find some kind of education and entertainment,” Motuba says.
“Well, writing and directing a theatre piece was my first time. I realised that you have to be so prepared because everyone
wants an answer from you. I could manage multiple technical issues, but I had to be very focused. There were days that it got a bit overwhelming for me. I enjoyed being in that space.”
Motuba is also one of the script writers of Imbewu – The Seed, a daily drama on e.tv. Having worked with other TV shows including The Herd, Isibaya, Ayeye, Vutha and Imposter
as a writer, Motuba is just hungry to tell more about black South African women stories.
She is also appearing in the film Low Tide as a writer, actor and producer. She believes there are a lot of complexities from black women’s daily life that could be turned into stories.
“I want to tell stories that explore black women’s dreams, manifestations, joys, power and magic. I am inspired by black women and our beauty and complexity and want to get such stories out to the world.”
Motuba, who has bachelor’s degree in drama, political science and film and media studies at the University of Cape Town, developed the passion for writing at a young age. She was that kind of a child who read thick books, with Harry Potter being her favourite.
The way she was so good at reading, Motuba would read a 700-page book in two days. While her writing started out with poetry, professionally it was triggered by lack of patience of waiting for roles.
Instead of focusing on acting, she started writing. It was not long before David Kau gave her a platform.