J.Bobs Live
J.Bobs Live by Jefferson Tshabalala (19**-)
J.Bobs Live is an interactive game-show theatre series created, written and hosted by Jefferson Tshabalala, performing as "J. Bobs". Blending the format of a television game show with township storytelling, kwaito and live audience participation, the series treats spectators as active participants whose unscripted contributions shape each performance, so that no two shows are the same. It comprises two principal shows, each built around one of Tshabalala's performance personas: Off the Record, hosted by his "J.Bhoboza" character, and Location Lekeyshini Lokasie, hosted by his "J.Bhozza" character. Location Lekeyshini Lokasie examines, celebrates and critiques the lived experience of South Africa's townships.
The original text
The shows are largely devised and improvised rather than fixed in a published script*, drawing on Black children's games and songs, popular culture and contemporary township life. The series had emerged by 2015* and developed over the following years across festival and theatre platforms. Location Lekeyshini Lokasie was later adapted by Tshabalala into a township-themed board game, staged as a "board game meets game show" hybrid.
Performance history in South Africa
Both shows were presented at the 2018 National Arts Festival in Makhanda: Off the Record on the festival's Edge (fringe) programme, and Location Lekeyshini Lokasie on the Arena programme, the latter featuring Jefferson Tshabalala, Phillip Dikotla, Rethabile Mothobi and Nontobeko Mkhatswha.
2020: Between 8 and 26 January, Tshabalala presented a related series of theatrical interventions and masterclasses titled Ama-Piece-Piece-Nyana at Kippies, Market Theatre, Johannesburg, drawing on the same interactive, game-based approach.
2022: The board-game version of Location Lekeyshini Lokasie was staged at the Market Theatre, hosted by Tshabalala with Simpho Mathenjwa and Titus Mekgwe, directed by Daisy Maphathe.
Sources
'Award-winning works on Arena at NAF18', National Arts Festival, 2018.
Gantsho, Vangi. 2015. 'Jefferson Tshabalala: On Sugar Daddies and P.o.e.t.o-types', Through Vangi-tinted Glasses, 19 November 2015.
'Thath'i sgubhu usfak' es'ketchini: (Re)making theatre with Jefferson Tshabalala', Mail & Guardian, 6 April 2020.
Tsumele, Edward. 2022. 'Time to witness magic on stage as Jefferson Bobs Tshabalala's popular kasi board game is back at the Market Theatre', CityLife Arts.
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