Monaisa helps breathe new life into Nongogo
Star admits it was hard to lose Wallet character on Skeem Saam
When Molefi Monaisa and his co-actors get on stage tomorrow night for the opening of Nongogo, they will be bringing a 62-year-old script to life.
Nongogo, a play about a prostitute, is set to open at the Playhouse in Durban.
Written by the legendary Athol Fugard, the classic play is staged as part of the 25th Annual South African Women’s Arts Festival.
Directed by seasoned stage and TV actor Bheki Mkhwane, the play also features Daisey Spencer in the lead role of Nongogo, Bongani Gumede, Zenzo Ngqobe and Thandanani Qwabe.
Nongogo was written in 1959 and in the past 60 years the play has been staged by different directors in various theatres. The play is about a sex worker who is ready to turn her life around after being swept off her feet by a young man named Johnny.
Monaisa, who is best known for his role as Wallet in Skeem Saam, is excited to have finally added Fugard’s show to his profile.
The 49-year-old believes that it is an honour to be part of one of the award-winning, classic shows. Monaisa admits that many people have been shying away from the legendary writer’s works because his plays are long.
“I am acting in Athol’s show for the first time and I am excited about that. When Mr Mkhwane asked me to join them here in Durban I jumped at the opportunity. People seem to shy away from Fugard productions because they are wordy and quite long. You can see that these plays were done when people had time and in our days the attention span is very short.”
Monaisa plays the role of Sam, a true devil’s advocate. He defines Nongogo as a wonderful story about life and broken dreams set against the backdrop of apartheid SA.
“The story is centred around a young lady called Queen. I play Sam, Queen’s former pimp. Nongogo is about hope and aspirations that were dashed ... It is about the human condition,” Monaisa says.
“Sam is one of those human beings who thrive on reminding people about their past. He represents the fear of change. When Johnny [played by Zenzo] comes into the picture and knocks some sense into Queen’s head, Sam feels threatened. He is afraid of losing everything, including Queen. He might not be making money out of her but he still wants to control her. He is afraid of losing his grip on Queen.”
While theatre goers will be enjoying his exceptional acting skill on stage, the actor has sadly left Skeem Saam after his contract was not renewed for the new season. Viewers had enjoyed his poetry and polished English.
“After playing that role for years it was not easy to accept and walk away. We started in 2011 and I am missing playing Wallet already. It was hard to say goodbye to my old friend Wallet.”
Monaisa says when he was growing up he wanted to be everything. His mother wanted him to be a teacher while his father thought he would make a perfect politician. Though he loved writing, he settled for acting because he had a curious and inquisitive mind.
“One of my pastimes has always been to observe people and I still do that. I imagine them in a different situation. I always think what it will be like to be Mr Mkhwane just for a day. I always wonder what it would be like to be somebody else other than yourself. When it comes to languages I love all of them because it is a beautiful way to express yourself.”
Monaisa was born in Potchefstroom in the North West and grew up in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Mahikeng. He says his childhood was like any other and he tried to make the most of it. Monaisa was an active young man involving himself in boxing, karate and bodybuilding. He says he had a toned, athletic body until the industry frustrated him and he began putting on kilos.
Like all actors, Monaisa says the challenges of the industry have caused depression. But he was able to snap out of it when he accepted those challenges were part and parcel of the industry and his passion made it hard for him to walk away.
“I think once you accept these challenges you become stronger. Young people take their lives because of the industry. I have entertained the thought of quitting many times but I find myself back at it again. When you love something, it is not easy to let it go. You always try to make it work.
“Our industry is small and it becomes difficult if you are not protected by labour laws. I think a lot of us died poor because of the system that is not designed for us and it is not supporting our careers.”
‘‘ It was hard to say goodbye to my old friend Wallet