What if Jesus Christ was a tsotsi?

Would you be able to recognise him? That is a question posed in the theatre piece What if Jesus was a Tsotsi  that is on at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda (previously Grahamstown), Eastern Cape.

Judging by its title, the show had a good attendance with everyone wanting to know what it is about.

The show was staged at Makhanda's main City Hall and had the audience in stitches. Duo Sikholiwe Gente and Siyanda Matwa tell the story of the Bible,  juxtaposing it with real life.

It is a very interesting show written and directed by Luyolo Sentile. Sentile explained that through the show he was showing his own understanding of the Bible.

Sentile said the idea of the show was inspired by the fact that no one knows what Jesus Christ looked like.

"This is a township way of translating the Bible, especially for those who do not understand it. I am not ridiculing the Bible but I am interpreting my own understanding.

"We [as human beings] tend to choose an audience for Jesus Christ. We all belong to him, both sinners and saints." The show premiered last year at Cape Town's Baxter Theatre's community theatre festival Zabalaza. It also went to the Zwakala Festival at the Market Theatre in Newtown, Johannesburg.