Entering Women’s month with a bang, award-winning South African playwright Napo Masheane made Herstory with the inaugural HerStory International Theatre Festival.
The Herstory International Theatre Festival made history at the Soweto Theatre this month with that seven-day festival that came to an end on August 7 with a successful turnout.
The opening night on August 1 was filled with women from different walks of life, sharing their creative gifts at the Soweto Theatre and the performances were curated and presented in a unique way that was very appealing to the eye.
The performances included Elelloang, a poem by Yamoria the twin poets Fumane and Mfumo Ntlhabane, music sang by Buhle Bendalo, classical music by Caroline Barole, bass player Aus Tebza with the bass guitar, the Fat Black Women Sing who sang and the Winnie Madikizela Mandela documentary narrated by Tekano to commemorate and celebrate women and children.
“I come from a family of amazing women, they are loud, they are present, they are the best singers, best cooks, best gossipers.
“But they can tell you who’s a witch, who took whose husband but also they are prayer warriors.
“They don't apologise for taking up space,” said Masheane at the opening night.
The playwright, producer, director, poet, curator, cultural activist, translator and performer added that the women in her family taught her that you don't apologise for your loudness and that it's within history that her story should always rise.
The women who participated in the festival shut down the festival on the last day as they closed off the seven-day theatre festival with Masheane honouring everyone who participated in making the festival possible.
She said she created history and looks forward to many more life changing festivals that will continue to uplift and empower women and children.
“Masheane made it possible for young women to live up their dreams by providing them with the artistic abilities they needed as part of the HerStory International Theatre Festival,” the festival said.
@Chulu_M