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The president of the Republic, Cyril Ramaphosa, recently delivered the state of the nation address (Sona), and this month, Philangezwi Nxumalo will present theatre audiences with the State of the Nation Disaster (Sonda), a self-written production that is a satirical reflection of post-apartheid South Africa from the perspective of a regular South African.
It is a one-man show performed by Nxumalo.
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The theatrical elements of physical comedy and storytelling are Nxumalo’s weapons of choice against the disappointment 30 years into what is known as a democratic South Africa.
Unemployment, poor service delivery, an education system that is on life support, and absurdly high crime rates are some of the issues that grassroots-level natives of this country are navigating on a daily basis. Through the Sonda, he sheds light on how these injustices continue to enslave liberated South Africans.
Nxumalo said:
Speaking to various demographics led him to the realisation that the struggle was far from over. Pre-94, black South Africans fought for equal opportunities across all ethnicity and although this demographic has equal voting rights as their white peers, the post-94 gang is just as poor and unemployed as their predecessors. Nxumalo's research taught him that the only change is the era, the concerns themselves have yet to shift.
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A first-time voter himself who was previously of the school of thought that his vote would make no significant difference, Nxumalo’s message is one of awareness and doing away with the mindset that politics only affect certain people.
He added:
The play touches on the South African Parliament, the president’s Sona speech and the media analysis thereof. The characters include a man who fancies himself a Kasie political analyst, a gullible mineworker who is excited about the Sona and a narrator who borders on being a soccer commentator.
The artistic director of The Market Theatre, Greg Homann, said:
The play will be running at Kippies at the Market Theatre Precinct from 14 to 17 March 2024.
Tickets for Sonda are going for R100, with block bookings of 10 or more at R75. Bookings can be made via Webtickets, The Market Theatre’s website www.markettheatre.co.za or tickets can be purchased at the Market Theatre box office.
