NHLANHLA Mkhwanazi is reprising the one-man show for which he was nominated for a Fleur du Cap, back in 2006. But, this time, A Man and a Dog reflects more than just an interrogation of individual identity, going further to look at where individuals fit into various cultures and how that shapes who we are.
The play tells the coming-of-age story of a Zulu boy trying to find the parents he never knew. The title references how Mkhwanazi grew up looking after his stepfather’s menagerie of animals, and especially the relationship he had with one dog that greatly influenced how he saw himself at the time.
In terms of ancestral belief, when you dream of a dog, it means you are being visited by the ancestors, so there is a deeper meaning at play here.
Director Penny Youngleson is friends with the Here Manje crew (Mkhwanazi is artistic director of the theatre company), who commissioned her to write Home. While working on Home she was asked to weigh in on remounting A Man and a Dog which is how she and Mkhwanazi ended up rewriting the play originally written by Mkhwanazi with director Matthew Wilde.
The framing remains, but whereas it was more autobiographical before, “now it is more allegoric, more a reflection of him as an older guy looking back, as opposed to living the story,” said Youngleson.
Mkhwanazi says the first time around it was more about figuring out who he was: “What is my name, where do I belong in terms of my family, my mother, my father? It was more about me and who I am in this world and how does this make me different from another person?
“Now, this one, when we met with Penny, I said: ‘Some of the issues that happened in my life, I am seeing them differently now’.
“I am a 47-year-old father who has his own flaws, and I am beginning to understand where I come from.
“What is important now, is finding where I fit into society,” said Mkhwanazi.
“It has a lot to do with fatherhood and identity in South Africa. It is interesting for me because I am generally a writer of gendered stories for females, so it was important to collaborate with him around South African masculinity and identity in that gendered frame,” explained Youngleson.
Still, Youngleson does see similarities around issues of identity, across gender.
“South African identity is in and of itself, creolised, but there are specific ideas around gender because of cultural norms. Like, Nhlanhla identifies as a Zulu man and that means set ideas in a traditional sense around gender.
“So, it was interesting to see his point of view and I’m learning a lot. The writing process has been made more interesting because of it,” said Youngleson.
Mkhwanazi, who not only acts on stage and television, but also writes plays, composes music and devises educational programmes, is also working on the music for Home, which is directed by Luke Brown. Like A Man and a Dog, Home is also a co-production between KBT Productions and Here Manje, and features three women spanning the generations.
Youngleson has drawn on her own family as well as done extensive research and interviews to tell the story of a mother, daugther and grandmother who carry the voices of their generations.
“I grew up singing and use most of that experience in my plays. Luke wanted to hear songs and music, not as a transition from one monologue to another, but music that fits into the story, that becomes a part of the journey,” said Mkhwanazi.
l Home plays at the Glennie Hall in Grahamstown at the National Arts Festival from July 3 to 11 at 5pm. A Man and a Dog plays at The Higlander in Grahamstown at the National Arts Festival from July 2 until 10.