Droomwerk
Droomwerk ("Dream-work") is a play by Pieter Madibuseng Odendaal (19**-)
The original text
A multilingual, predominantly Afrikaans, South African drama, it draws on the playwright's exploration of his own ancestry as a white, Afrikaans-speaking man descended from a slave, Diana of Madagascar, it follows Petrus, a patient in a psychiatric hospital who dreams of his ancestors as he struggles with inherited trauma, buried family secrets and mental illness shaped by the legacies of slavery, colonialism and apartheid.
The play is performed predominantly in Afrikaans, with passages in other languages, and incorporates spiritual ritual, including the burning of imphepho.
Awarded the 2021 ATKV-Woordveertjie for best new drama text, it was subsequently nominated for the Hertzog Prize for Drama. First staged in 2023, the text was first published by Protea Boekhuis, Pretoria, 2023 (70 pp.).
Performance history in South Africa
2023: First staged at the National Arts Festival, Makhanda, directed by Kanya Viljoen (who also designed the set and lighting), with Lwanda Sindaphi as accompanying director, produced by Pieter Madibuseng Odendaal and River Mouth Projects, and made possible by the Toyota US Woordfees, the National Arts Festival and North-West University. Sound design, composition and instrumentation by Jannous Aukema; costumes by Yonela Makoba; additional instrumentation by Sumalgy Nuro. The cast was Ben Albertyn (Petrus), Johann Nel (Oupa Piet), Jill Levenberg (Diana/a nursing sister), Noluthando "Tyrish" Mili (Gogo/a nurse) and Johann Vermaak (the doctor, Petrus's father and Oupa Piet's son). Jill Levenberg received several nominations and awards* for her performance as Diana, and the production was nominated for four Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards*.
2023: Performed at the National Arts Festival, Makhanda, in the Rhodes Box, until 28 June.
2023: Performed at the Toyota US Woordfees, Stellenbosch, 11-15 October.
2024: Performed at the Suidoosterfees (NATi Arena), 26-30 April, with Gerben Kamper taking over the role of Oupa Piet; and at the Homecoming Centre, Cape Town, 8-11 May.
Sources
Koen, Devon. 2023. 'Dreams come to life on stage in Droomwerk', The Herald, 28 June 2023.
Cornelissen, Arno. 2023. 'Droomwerk is harde werk', Grocott's Mail, 30 June 2023.
Tolsi, Niren. 2023. 'Arts fest is duct-tape for our broken times', Mail & Guardian, 8 July 2023.
Toyota US Woordfees programme, Droomwerk. https://woordfees.co.za/en/program/droomwerk/
Suidoosterfees / NATi Teaterfees programme, 2024. https://suidoosterfees.com/nati-teaterfees-theatre-festival/
Droomwerk (Odendaal, P.), Clarke's Bookshop. https://clarkesbooks.co.za/products/droomwerk
Pieter Madibuseng Odendaal, African Books Collective. https://africanbookscollective.com/contributor/pieter-madibuseng-odendaal/
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