Giving faces to Marikana’s fallen
MINE TRAGEDY TOLD IN MUSIC AND DANCE Award-winning show is back by public demand.
Marikana – The Musical
Marikana – The Musical is returning to the State Theatre in Pretoria and promises to be as gigantic and explosive as the first time it took to the stage.
The 40-strong award-winning cast, led by Meshack “Mimi” Mavuso, Aubrey Poo, Emma Mmekwa and Mpho “Mckenzie” Matome, will unleash a blow-by-blow account of the events that led to the loss of 44 lives at the hands of the police and miners.
It takes the audience to the villages and townships they came from and gives faces and names to the fallen men.
Theatre spokesperson Thakgatso Setseta said the musical, adapted by Aubrey Sekhabi from the book We Are Going to kill Each Other Today, was back due to huge public demand.
The Marikana story was penned by Thanduxolo Jika, Felix Dlangamandla, Lucas Ledwaba, Sebabatso Mosamo, Athandwa Saba and Leon Sadiki.
Sekhabi said it had been a humbling experience for all involved. “Twenty years into our democracy, can we say that we are a tolerant society if we can lose so many lives at our own hands?
“The killing did not start on the day of the shooting and after it started, it spread like wildfire and tomorrow morning, the men will sing again.
“Their spears, pangas, inculas and sticks will clatter menacingly.
“They will recite battle cries from their homelands and move about in organised columns, raising clouds of dust.
“But 34 of them will sing for the very last time.”
Marikana – The Musical won best production of a musical at the Naledi Theatre Awards 2014, as well as best director (Aubrey Sekhabi), best performance in a musical: female (Emma Mmekwa), best set design (Wilhelm Disbergen), best musical score (Mckenzie Matome, Zakhele Mabena and Aubrey Sekhabi), and best original choreography (Thabo Rapoo). –
The show starts at 8pm today and it will run until August 2.
Tickets range from R150 to R180. Students and pensioners pay R100. Tickets are available from Computicket.