Isingqala Samanzi/The Call of Water – a play about global water scarcity – is innovatively brought into the spotlight with its African premiere at The Baxter Flipside for a limited season of four performances only, from 22 to 24 September 2022
The South African/German collaboration, presented by Staatstheater Augsburg, in association with The Baxter, takes the audience on a journey, with puppets handmade by the Cape Town-based Ukwanda Puppet Company.
Through a fascinating and poetic interweaving of play styles, languages and perspectives, a global picture of the problem of water scarcity emerges that allows to look at a global problem from a different point of view.
While the vital element has shaped urban architecture and history in Augsburg for centuries and is available in abundance, Cape Town (and other parts of South Africa) have suffered from drought in recent years. The water-saving consequences drawn from this – to which the shortage in the Cape was overcome – are ground-breaking for the handling of this valuable resource in the 21st century, and this includes Europe.
In this play, the world-famous fountain figures of the Augustus Fountain in Augsburg, Germany, meet Inkomo Yamanzi (the cow that brings water) and Roman deities meet ancestor worship. What at first glance could hardly be more different, on closer inspection, proves to be less of a contrast than an affinity of essence.
Written by Andreas Hillger and the ensemble of six performers – three South Africans and three Germans – comprises Sipho Ngxola, Thomas Prazak, Karoline Stegemann, Siphokazi Mpofu, Luyanda Nogodlwana, Franziska Rattay, directed by Dorothea Schroeder.
Puppet construction is by Ukwanda Puppets & Designs Art Collective, with training by Craig Leo, music by Fabian Löbhard, lighting by Günter Zaworka, costumes by Marie Wildmann, set design by Luyanda Nogodlwana and dramaturgy by Kathrin Mergel and Sarah Mössner.
WHAT: Isingqala Samanzi/The Call of Water
WHERE: The Baxter Flipside, Main Road Rondebosch, Cape Town 8001
WHEN: 22 to 24 September 2022 at 8pm, with a 4pm matinee on Saturday, 24 September
TICKETS: R180 and R150 for group block bookings of 10 or more, students and senior citizens. Booking is through Webtickets online at or at Pick n Pay stores.
INFO: T 021 680 3993 | E camen.kearns@uct.ac.za | VISIT
