The Baxter’s Zabalaza Theatre Festival celebrates its fifth year, with nearly 50 productions featuring over 400 artists from 30 different areas, reinforcing the team’s commitment to innovation and diversity.
The festival takes to the stages and spaces of the Baxter Theatre Centre, from 21 to 28 March, daily.
Widely regarded as one of the premier theatre development platforms in South Africa, the week-long event promises to be jam-packed with outstanding talent from all over the Western Cape and other provinces. The productions were primarily selected from the six mini-festivals which were held earlier this year in Robertson, Kraaifontein, Khayelitsha, Delft, Athlone and Nyanga East. The three winning productions from the Eden Drama Festival (Heidelberg, George, Oudtshoorn) and the Cape Winelands Festival (Worcester, Robertson, Bonnievale) are included in the line-up.
On Human Rights Day, 21 March, the festival kicks off with the Zabalaza Weekend when venues throughout the Baxter Theatre Centre will pulsate with performances and activities that will continue through to Sunday 22 March. This exciting and diverse weekend programme showcases 34 productions.
The Zabalaza Main Festival features 13 productions and runs from 23 to 28 March featuring an average of nine productions daily, Monday to Friday.
The festival will boast multiple genres – from drama, poetry, hip hop, dance and musical theatre to physical theatre and theatre for children, performed in six different languages – English, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Zulu, Shona and Swahili.
The team is particularly proud to be able to produce its first isiXhosa set work for Grade 10’s, Akwaba, based on the book by Thenjiswa Ntwana and directed by Sizwe Msutu, with a dynamic ensemble of 10 actors.
Some of the specialist workshops included in the festival will be conducted by Theatre Patrasket (Denmark/Assitej), theatre for babies with Gabi dan Drote (Germany/Assitej), Complicite (UK), Lara Foot (director’s workshop) and Faniswa Yisa (movement and physical theatre).
Over the past five years the festival has created opportunities and mentorship to over 2000 artists from all over South Africa, but mainly from the Western Cape. Several young and established performers, writers, directors and theatre-makers have kick-started their professional careers in stage, television and film as a result of the Zabalaza Theatre Festival.
Zabalaza has given rise to great young stars that have graced the world’s stages in a short period, gathering accolades along the way, which include Fleur du Cap and Naledi awards for Khayalethu Anthony and Phillip Dikotla. Khayalethu Anthony won again for The Champion this year!
Khayalethu Anthony – Best Actor Award 2015
“Outreach into the communities is a key component of our ethos at Zabalaza,” says artistic director Thami Mbongo. “All year round our team travel to various areas in this province and elsewhere in the country. We are committed to working closely with the artists and the communities, whether through the mini-festivals or simply through our many visiting and viewing of theatrical creations by some overwhelmingly talented people. It is very rewarding. We are deeply thankful to the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport for their partnership and support.”
Another exciting component to the festival is its partnerships with the Obs Family Festival and the Assitej South Africa and Theatre Arts Admin Collective collaboration, Complicite’s Lionboy, the Assitej International Take a Child to Theatre Day campaign and their 50th anniversary celebrations.
“Our full name is Zabalaza Intsika eBaxter Theatre loosely translated, means two things: striving towards being a pillar of the Baxter Theatre Centre and striving towards success,” says Mantsai. “With these partnerships and cross-pollination of events, as well as the participation of the various artists, groups, guests and theatre-makers performing at this year’s festival, we hope to live up to these goals.”
WHERE: Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Raod, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700
TICKETS: R30 and booking is through Computicket on 0861 915 8000, online at or at any Shoprite Checkers outlet. For discounted corporate, schools or block-bookings, charities or fundraisers, contact Sharon on 021 680 3962, email sharon.ward@uct.ac.za or Carmen on 021 680 3993, email carmen.kearns@uct.ac.za.
FULL 2015 FESTIVAL PROGRAMME click here
