It will be a case of art imitating life when Mashu: The Musical opens. Writer Lucky Cele based the work on his first-hand experience of the violence that rocked the township in the ‘90s, but his objective is also to show audiences a different side of KwaMashu…
KWAMASHU township, north of Durban, seems to be in the thick of her 15 minutes of fame. Just a few weeks ago a new telenovela, Uzalo, launched on SABC 1, which is set and shot in the area. Hot on the heels of that success, KwaMashu will soon take centre stage at the Playhouse’s Opera Theatre when a musical about her, and in honour of her people, will open.
Mashu: The Musical is written by Lucky Cele and designed and directed by internationally renowned theatre practitioner, Themi Venturas.
Tonight caught up with Cele to find out more about his work and what inspired him to write it.
He explained that this year KwaMashu celebrates 56 years of existence and that his musical is based on a true events that took place in community between 1994 and 1995, a time of much violence in KwaMashu’s L section.
He said the musical tells of the trials and tribulations of two brothers who are caught up in the madness that shattered the lives of the community during that time. But Cele said his work is not about painting a dim and grim township tale, but rather one that will provide an insight into a vibrant community.
“I grew up in KwaMashu and there has always been a lot of negativity surrounding the township due to the violence there in the ’90s like the shootings, murders, muggings. I felt I needed to do something about this. I wanted to use my pen to help change the township and people’s thinking, so I started writing this musical.”
Cele said from the start he had a clear objective: “I wanted to use it to change the thinking of the young people. Because if you can change the youth, you can change the future. I did a lot of research. I was a primary resource because I saw these things happen before my eyes and consulted with other families and members of the community to get different perspectives.”
He said his hope with the staging of the musical now is two-fold.
“First, I want people to see that this negativity around KwaMashu is a thing of the past. There is so much good that has come out of the township. But also, during auditions, a lot of actors from different backgrounds said they felt like this is also their story, that’s how much this story resonated with them.
“So I want the audience to come and also be touched by this musical. If you have a brother who is a thug, or a sister who is neglecting her kids at home, bring them to see this show so they can see how their behaviour impacts on their families. These are also the issues we also deal with in the musical.”
The cast includes popular and award-winning local actors Wiseman Mncube and Mthokozisi Zulu as the leads. It also features a mix of established artists and up-and-coming talent, including Thabo Mnguni, known for his role as Bra Steve on the SABC 1’s Family Bonds. He has also featured on Generations as Khuboni.
Made possible by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund and the Office of the Premier (Heritage Chief Directorate), Mashu: The Musical stages at the Playhouse from March 18 to 22. Booking is through Computicket. For group bookings and more information, please contact 031 267 2863.