My Naam/My Name is Ellen Pakkies

My Naam/My Name is Ellen Pakkies

My Naam/My Name is Ellen Pakkies is a bilingual (English/Afrikaans) South African play with text and direction by Lizz Meiring, based on the real-life case of Ellen Pakkies. First performed in 2011, it tells the story of a mother whose helpless love for her drug-addicted (tik) son drives her to murder, and is ultimately a work about motherly love, forgiveness and survival.

The original text

The play was written and directed by Lizz Meiring after she saw Michael Duffett's television documentary The Ellen Pakkies Story. A bilingual drama based on a case that had drawn international attention, it tells the story of Ellen Pakkies of Lavender Hill on the Cape Flats, whose son's methamphetamine (tik) addiction drives her to kill him. The lead actress Vinette Ebrahim met the real Ellen Pakkies during the production, and Pakkies attended a rehearsal before the play's opening at the Baxter Theatre.

Performance history in South Africa

2011: Performed at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) from 4 to 8 April, then in the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio from 13 April to 7 May, at the Cederberg Arts Festival on 1 May and at the Aardklop Festival later in 2011, where it was named the second most popular production of that festival. Directed by Lizz Meiring, with Vinette Ebrahim and Christo Davids. Ebrahim and Davids are both reported to have won acting awards for their performances (specific awards to be confirmed).

2012: Staged at the US Woordfees, Stellenbosch, presented by The Sixth Sense, directed by Lizz Meiring, at Hoërskool Stellenbosch on 10 March, on the Sanlam Dramafees programme, with Vinette Ebrahim and Christo Davids (age restriction: no under-14s). Also performed in 2012 at the Joburg Promusica Theatre on 4 and 5 May, at the Absa Kirkwood Wildsfees on 30 June, at Die Boer theatre in Durbanville, Cape Town, from 4 to 8 July, and at the Centurion Theatre (dates to be confirmed).

2015: A staging of the play was reviewed in April 2015; the venue, dates and cast are to be confirmed.

2020: A filmed Afrikaans version of a student production (in which the script was wrongly ascribed to Karen Meiring) was posted on YouTube on 18 November, directed by Chante Louw and featuring Chante Louw, Theodore Distele, Nasiphi Nkumbesi and Kabelo Sibanyoni. The video credits list camera by Dineo, sound by Kabelo Sibanyoni and make-up by Nasiphi Nkumbesi.