"Land issues are a particularly hot-button topic this month, with the Tafelberg judgement, the Bromwell ruling and Bulelani Qolani's case against the City of Cape Town all raising the questions of who can and should benefit from public land.
It's a topic that's also playing out the stages of the Baxter this February, with UCT's Mark Fleishman directing a decolonial reimagining of Sophocles' Oedipus at Colonus. The third play in a trilogy of ancient Greek tragedies, Fleishman works with talented artist/activist Qondiswa James to craft an intricate reimagining of the play. Set against South African land issues, the work powerfully explores occupation, forced removal and debates over how much space should be given to colonial relics.
South Africa has a long and proud history of protest theatre, and audiences continue to flock to see plays that tackle political issues head-on. Indeed, theatre audiences enthusiastically give standing ovations to politically daring plays such as Oedipus at Colonus. University researcher Dr Carla Lever is working with Fleishman to explore and expand enthusiasm for political drama. What is the relationship between creativity and social change? If imagining a different world is a fundamentally creative act, might we be called to reimagine the ways we engage with activism on the street as much as on the stage?
Oedipus at Colonus: #aftersophocles, runs at the Baxter Flipside, for a limited season from 3 to 18 February 2023, at 7.30pm with Saturday matinees at 3pm. Bookings through webtickets ([ Ссылка ]). Take a walk through the Baxter theatre foyer to engage with some of these ideas in a free poster exhibition."
Dr Carla Lever
