Sophiatown

Sophiatown can refer to the famous freehold area of that name in Johannesburg, which features in many novels, stories, plays, flms and so on. Or it can refer to an improvised play about the area (also referred to as Sophiatown the Musical) or to Sophiatown: Blues for Mandela , a documentary film.

Sophiatown - the area

The history

Sophiatown (sometimes referred to as Kofifi in urban slang) was founded in 1900 and was the closest place to the Johannesburg city centre occupied by black South Africans for much of the early 20th century. What made it particularly significant was that it was a freehold area, where all races could live and/or interact, and soon became a home to writers, journalists, artists, politicians – notably serving as the black intellectual heart of the city. Shebeens played a prominent part in this (the 39 Steps and The Back o' the Moon]] for example) and the area also housed two cinemas, The Odin and Balansky's, the former also used for political meetings and stage performances over the years.

It was the first area to be targeted by the Nationalist Government for the removals instigated under the Apartheid policies they had introduced.

Sophiatown on stage and film

Sophiatown, its features and its history have been the theme and setting of a large number of books, novels, plays and films, among the dramatised stage and film versions:

Among the more prominent are:

Come Back, Africa (an underground film by Lionel Rogosin, 1959)

Freedom Square and Back of the Moon (a film by Gibson and Kentridge, 1986)

Sophiatown (a play, Junction Avenue Theatre, 1986)

The Suit (a play by Mothobi Mutloatse and Barney Simon, based on the short story by Can Themba, 1994)

The Suit (a dance version choreographed by Sbonakaliso Ndaba and Boyzie Cekwana, 2002)

Sophiatown: Blues for Mandela (a documentary film by Pascale Lamche, (2004)

Drum (a film, 2004)

Crepuscule (a dramatisation of a Can Themba short story by Khayelihle Dom Gumede, 2012)

The Suit (a short film version of the Themba story by Jarryd Coetsee, 2016 )

Back of the Moon (a film, 2019)

Sources

https://www.sahistory.org.za/place/sophiatown

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophiatown

Ulf Hannerz. 1994. "Sophiatown. The View from Afar". Journal of Southern African Studies 20/2: pp.181-193.

Sophiatown - the play

Also referred to as Sophiatown: The Musical in some cases.

The original play

An influential workshop play about Sophiatown, it was devised by the cast under the guidance of director Malcolm Purkey and first performed the cast.

Based on a true prank in which Nat Nakasa and Lewis Nkosi had advertised in Drum magazine for a Jewish girl to come and stay with them in Sophiatown. The play deals with the “what if” of this situation, and setting it in a household representative of a spectrum of township dwellers, a microcosm of the Sophiatown milieu of the 1950s as seen from the perspective of the 1980s.

The original text

First published as a single text in 1994, then republished with other plays in 1995 by David Philip and also in the collection At the Junction: Four Plays by the Junction Avenue Theatre Company by Wits University Press. Included (as Sophiatown!) in David Graver's collection Drama for a New South Africa (Indiana University Press).

Performance history in South Africa

1986: First performed at the Market Theatre, Johannesburg on 18 February 1986, a Junction Avenue Theatre Company production directed by Malcolm Purkey, with sets designed by Sarah Roberts and William Kentridge and poster by Kentridge, starring Ramolao Makhene, Patrick Shai,Arthur Molepo, Megan Kruskal, and Minky Schlesinger. The play quickly transferred to the Grahamstown Festival and went on to a phenomenally successful run over the next number of years, winning numerous awards and touring internationally. Doreen Mazibuko also joined the production, as well as Gladys Mothlale and Madidi Maphoto. Siphiwe Khumalo. Feb 1986 - A play

March 21 -31, 1990: Presented by PEMADS in collaboration with the Directorate of Cultural Affairs and performed at the Ford Little Theatre in Port Elizabeth. Directed by Natania Kleinhans. Starring Winston Soya as Jakes, Monty Jola as Mingus, Walter Gunguluza as Mr Fahfee, Siphokazi Majodina as Lulu, Judith Ngwenda as Mamariti, Vuyokazi Matambeka as Princess, Mariette du Toit as Ruth Golden, and Elroy Bramwell as Charlie. Wella Matomela was the Penny Whistler and Tando Nobadula and Buzwe Lisa were the dice players.

1994: In a production at the Market Theatre, directed by Malcolm Purkey. Jakes was played by Patrick Shai, also starring Yael Farber, Ramolao Makhene, Daphney Hlomuka, Thulani Nyembe, Nandi Nyembe, Nkhensani Manganyi and Arthur Molepo as Mingus.

1996: Rhodes University Drama Department production directed by Andrew Buckland, in May 1996, including Yael de Jong as Ruth and Shane Manilal as Mingus.

2005: Directed: Malcolm Purkey. Cast: Arthur Molepo (Mingus), Sello Sebotsane (Fahfee), Siyabonga Twala (Jakes), Lucia Mthinyane (Princess), Nandi Nyembe (Mama), Wayne Van Rooyen (Charlie), Nobulali Dangazele (Lali), Ahley Harvey (Ruth) at the Market Theatre

2016: A new production staged at the Market Theatre opening 30 March, directed by Malcolm Purkey. Sarah Roberts designed the costumes and sets for this production and Arthur Molepo is the musical director. It was part of the celebrations surrounding the 40th anniversary of the Market Theatre

2017: The 2016 production was revived at the Market Theatre by Purkey, with a cast that consisted of: Arthur Zitha (as "Fahfee"), Barileng Malebye ("Princess"), Christine van Hees ("Ruth Golden"), Hlengiwe Lushaba ("Madlala Mama"), Joel Zuma ("Charlie"), Sandile Dlangalele ("Mingus"), Sechaba Ramphele ("Jakes") and Tshepiso Tracey Tshabalala ("Lulu").

2018: The play was performed as Sophiatown the Musical at the South African State Theatre, Pretoria, from 13 April to 13 May. Directed by Aubrey Sekhabi with Thabiso Tshabalala ("Jakes"), Caitlin Clerk ("Ruth"), Terrence Ignacious Ngwila ("Mingus"), Kenneth Mlambo ("Fahfee"), Simphiwe Ndlovu ("Princess"), Madge Kola ("Mamariti"), Zamah Ngubane ("Lulu") and Bongani Masango ("Charlie"). The technical crew consisted of Zakhele Mabena (Musical Director), Bafikile Sedibe (Choreographer), Mandla Mtshali (Lighting Designer), Lungile Cindi (Costume and Set Designer), Irene Mathe (Senior Stage Manager and Costume Designer), Kea Moeketsane (Assistant Director) and Busisiwe Masemola (Costume Coordinator/ Dresser).

Sources

Sophiatown theatre programme, 1986.

Photograph (1986 production) held by NELM: NELM Location: Photograph collection [Collection: JUNCTION AVENUE THEATRE COMPANY]: 2016. 293. 6.

Ruphin Coudyzer. 2023. Annotated list of his photographs of Market Theatre productions. (Provided by Coudyzer)

Sophiatown original Pemads theatre programme, 1990.

Loren Kruger. 1999. The Drama of South Africa: Plays, Pageants and Publics Since 1910. Routledge: pp.96-7.

Junction Avenue Theatre Company website

Sunday Times, 17 April 1994.

Financial Mail, 24 March 2016.

South African State Theatre, "Sophiatown the Musical only at the State Theatre", Artslink (04/04/2018)[1]

Edward Tsumele. 2017. "Sophiatown not just song and dance about nostalgia", Business Day, 20 April 2017[2]

https://thetvdb.com/series/the-passionate-eye/episodes/5514908

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page