ITSOSENG in North West made headlines two years when residents organised a violent protest against the lack of service delivery in the area.
A police car was burnt, one person killed and more than 160 arrested.
Omphile Molusi shares the political story of the small poverty-stricken North West community that has still not tasted the fruits of democracy, 18 years into the new dispensation in his award-winning, one-man show Itsoseng.
The play, which is written and narrated by Molusi, begins with a young man Mawila, who is madly in love, but also torn apart by it. He is sitting on top of his trunk, which contains all his belongings, mourning the death of his lover Dolly.
Community members make their way to Dolly's home to pay their last respects, but he cannot bring himself to attend.
Set in one scene, with a sandy path and garbage strewn across the stage, Molusi sits in the centre of it all with the blue suit he was meant to wear to the love of his life's funeral.
The production runs for about two hours.
Energetic and comical, Molusi uses the original slang and expression of his township folk.
He speaks of the politically driven and limping Buda-6, whom he calls "the scar of this township". Buda-6 led the community to act against the then Lucas Mangope government of Bophuthatswana, but eventually lost hope when change did not come.
The township drunk is labelled "the essence of the township", whose routine is pub crawling on Fridays and continues with the drinking spree at funerals on Saturdays.
Inspired by a personal experience of losing a friend, Molusi wrote the play based on the love of two individuals just seeking to love and be loved in return, but find themselves struck by the "curse" and odds against them.
Despite all Mawila's efforts to win over Dolly's heart, he encounters an unbeatable barrier - Dolly's best friend Tsholofelo.
She eventually becomes the neighbourhood prostitute and drags Dolly into the vicious cycle.
Mawila cannot stand up to Tsholofelo and after discovering that Dolly was "just trying to make a living" by selling her body, he gives up - but only for a while.
Dolly, who had gone through three illegal abortions and has two fatherless children, meets her maker because her womb could not take it anymore.
Mawila travels around the neighbourhood with ease on the single stage, using only lighting to separate the various spaces.
Molusi expresses the message that: "The country is alive with possibilities, but nothing has happened in Itsoseng, which can only hold on to dreams of change".
Itsoseng is one of a group of productions that include Hol, written and directed by Nicola Hanekom, and Pula, and choreographed by Sbonakaliso Ndaba.
The plays are on at the State Theatre in Tshwane, along with musical and comedy performances as part of the Mzansi Fela Festival which started on December 1 and will end on Saturday.
- monnakgotlam@sowetan.co.za
The pain of a community
ITSOSENG in North West made headlines two years when residents organised a violent protest against the lack of service delivery in the area.
A police car was burnt, one person killed and more than 160 arrested.
Omphile Molusi shares the political story of the small poverty-stricken North West community that has still not tasted the fruits of democracy, 18 years into the new dispensation in his award-winning, one-man show Itsoseng.
The play, which is written and narrated by Molusi, begins with a young man Mawila, who is madly in love, but also torn apart by it. He is sitting on top of his trunk, which contains all his belongings, mourning the death of his lover Dolly.
Community members make their way to Dolly's home to pay their last respects, but he cannot bring himself to attend.
Set in one scene, with a sandy path and garbage strewn across the stage, Molusi sits in the centre of it all with the blue suit he was meant to wear to the love of his life's funeral.
The production runs for about two hours.
Energetic and comical, Molusi uses the original slang and expression of his township folk.
He speaks of the politically driven and limping Buda-6, whom he calls "the scar of this township". Buda-6 led the community to act against the then Lucas Mangope government of Bophuthatswana, but eventually lost hope when change did not come.
The township drunk is labelled "the essence of the township", whose routine is pub crawling on Fridays and continues with the drinking spree at funerals on Saturdays.
Inspired by a personal experience of losing a friend, Molusi wrote the play based on the love of two individuals just seeking to love and be loved in return, but find themselves struck by the "curse" and odds against them.
Despite all Mawila's efforts to win over Dolly's heart, he encounters an unbeatable barrier - Dolly's best friend Tsholofelo.
She eventually becomes the neighbourhood prostitute and drags Dolly into the vicious cycle.
Mawila cannot stand up to Tsholofelo and after discovering that Dolly was "just trying to make a living" by selling her body, he gives up - but only for a while.
Dolly, who had gone through three illegal abortions and has two fatherless children, meets her maker because her womb could not take it anymore.
Mawila travels around the neighbourhood with ease on the single stage, using only lighting to separate the various spaces.
Molusi expresses the message that: "The country is alive with possibilities, but nothing has happened in Itsoseng, which can only hold on to dreams of change".
Itsoseng is one of a group of productions that include Hol, written and directed by Nicola Hanekom, and Pula, and choreographed by Sbonakaliso Ndaba.
The plays are on at the State Theatre in Tshwane, along with musical and comedy performances as part of the Mzansi Fela Festival which started on December 1 and will end on Saturday.
- monnakgotlam@sowetan.co.za
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