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With elections last week, South Africans have been in a competitive and somewhat antagonistic mood as they have tried to outshine each other in the cut-throat world of politics.
However, outside the country, the mood in London’s bustling theatre scene is quite the contrary as a group of our countrywomen and men have come together to once again elevate and celebrate the rich culture of their country in front of global audiences.
This they are doing with their awesome performances in the recently launched Inala, a Zulu ballet that is captivating audiences with its unique blend of isicathamiya music and ballet.
The Soweto Gospel Choir are among the lead artists in this production that is currently enjoying rave reviews in the British capital’s West End theatre land. The Grammy Award-winning internationally acclaimed group take over from Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and bring with them a new dynamic feature, which is the addition of female vocals to the show.
The show premiered in 2014, marking 25 years of South Africa’s transition to a new democratic dispensation, and is now on its third tour.
One interesting aspect of the show that stands out is that there is a scene in which all the performers stand in one long line and each one of them gets their turn to strut their dance on stage.
The uniqueness of this moment comes about from the fact that the ballet dancers strut their stuff via a Zulu dance while the South African choir members each perform a ballet act. This scene is the epitome of the blending of cultures in the show. It arouses a vociferously appreciative reaction from the audience that is echoed by the standing ovation at the end of the show.
The audience is exposed to the power and resistance of the South African spirit in Usizi, a sweet-sounding melodic song whose lyrics allude to the fact that we have to keep going in the face of hardship.
Phello Sejake, a vocalist who was born and raised in Diepkloof, Soweto, struts her stuff on the stage magnificently, belting out powerful tunes such as Siyophumelela and Eza Malobolo to the melodic, sultry sounds meted out by cellist David Kadumukasa, pianist Thomas Indge, percussionist Beth Higham-Edwards and violist Suzanne Evans.
“The energy that transpires when we come together is just phenomenal. It is like we speak in a language that requires no words; we clicked straight away.”
Sejake’s fellow Johannesburger Ashley Wilson makes a return to the show after having previously worked with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Partly raised in Cape Town, the Los Angeles, US-based Wilson becomes emotional when she says: “The show takes me back home. The sound design integrates a lot of the natural sounds that you hear in our country, whether it is humming, drumming or cricket sounds.
“I have seen people coming out of the theatre literally crying, touched by the humanity of the show.”
Also brought to the fore are the talents of the British dancers who had never before been exposed to African performances at that level.
Nafisah Baba is one of the star lead performers of the show. The 2017 BBC Young Dancer of the Year winner comes from a Jamaican and Nigerian parentage and feels that the show is awakening the deep-seated African rhythm in her.
One performer for whom the musical experience is not new is Lungisani Mhlongo. Born and bred in Ladysmith, Lungi is happy to share the intricacies of isicathamiya music with the world.
“The genre is in my veins, it is a part of our storytelling. I am very grateful to share my experiences with everyone – this is my contribution in expanding and building on the path already laid out by Mambazo.”
The abundance of isicathamiya in the rolling valleys of Mnambithi (Ladysmith) is juxtaposed by the abundance of amazing theatre experiences that crew member Siyabolela Mkefa has enjoyed in his career so far.
Having been to many cities around the world, Mkefa is a fiercely confident lead singer whose years of experience definitely project themselves on stage.
Having started out with the acclaimed Gibson Kente theatre group in Dube, Soweto, Mkefa has been an integral part of really outstanding productions, ranging from The Lion King to Milestone.
Having previously played to sold-out audiences across the UK and made an international debut in Moscow, Russia, the crew is now gearing up for shows in Singapore.
“The fact that they are taking the South African brand to new terrains such as Russia and Singapore speaks to one of the tenets of nation branding, which is culture and heritage. We encourage them to carry the torch in taking our country forward in this sphere,” said Brand SA UK country head Pumela Salela.
“As global South Africans, this is their contribution towards exposing the immense talents of one of our greatest strengths, and that is our people,” Salela stated.
The show is running until Friday before heading to Singapore in July
