Difference between revisions of "Isidlamlilo/The Fire Eater"
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
First performed at the 2022 ''[[National Arts Festival]]'', the play went on to tour throughout South Africa and Europe, ''inter alia'' with performances at the [[Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre]] (Durban), [[The Market Theatre]] (Johannesburg), the ''[[Hilton Arts Festival]]'' (KZN), the ''Noordezon Festival of Performing Arts'' (Groningen Netherlands), The ''Kampnagel International Summer Festival'' (Hamburg,Germany) and the ''La Bâtie – Festival de Genève'' (Switzerland). | First performed at the 2022 ''[[National Arts Festival]]'', the play went on to tour throughout South Africa and Europe, ''inter alia'' with performances at the [[Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre]] (Durban), [[The Market Theatre]] (Johannesburg), the ''[[Hilton Arts Festival]]'' (KZN), the ''Noordezon Festival of Performing Arts'' (Groningen Netherlands), The ''Kampnagel International Summer Festival'' (Hamburg,Germany) and the ''La Bâtie – Festival de Genève'' (Switzerland). | ||
| − | + | The play text was published by [[Wits University Press]]. | |
The play was a popular and multiple award-winning work, garnering four [[Naledi Theatre Awards]] for Best Production, Best Actor in a solo performance, Best Director and Best lighting design, and was nominated for four more awards. At the 2024 [[Woordtrofees]] awards it won Best New South African text, Best Solo Performance for [[Mpume Mthombeni]] and Best Technical Achievement for [[Tina Le Roux]]. It was selected as the Noorderzon Critics Choice at the 2023 Noordezon Festival of Performing Arts in the Netherlands. | The play was a popular and multiple award-winning work, garnering four [[Naledi Theatre Awards]] for Best Production, Best Actor in a solo performance, Best Director and Best lighting design, and was nominated for four more awards. At the 2024 [[Woordtrofees]] awards it won Best New South African text, Best Solo Performance for [[Mpume Mthombeni]] and Best Technical Achievement for [[Tina Le Roux]]. It was selected as the Noorderzon Critics Choice at the 2023 Noordezon Festival of Performing Arts in the Netherlands. | ||
Revision as of 06:56, 3 April 2025
Isidlamlilo/The Fire Eater is a one-person play by Neil Coppen and Mpume Mthombeni.
Not to be confused with The Fire-eater!, a one-act farce by Charles Selby (c.1802-1863)[1]
Contents
The original text
Based on a range of testimonials shared with the authors at the Urban Futures Centre (UFC) during their Empatheatre research processes, the play is set in a womens' hostel in Durban, where Zenzile Maseko, a grandmother in her 60s, partially disabled and declared dead by Home Affairs, has to reckon with "Nkulunkulu" (God). She recalls the unbelievable series of events that have unfolded across her lifetime.
First performed at the 2022 National Arts Festival, the play went on to tour throughout South Africa and Europe, inter alia with performances at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre (Durban), The Market Theatre (Johannesburg), the Hilton Arts Festival (KZN), the Noordezon Festival of Performing Arts (Groningen Netherlands), The Kampnagel International Summer Festival (Hamburg,Germany) and the La Bâtie – Festival de Genève (Switzerland).
The play text was published by Wits University Press.
The play was a popular and multiple award-winning work, garnering four Naledi Theatre Awards for Best Production, Best Actor in a solo performance, Best Director and Best lighting design, and was nominated for four more awards. At the 2024 Woordtrofees awards it won Best New South African text, Best Solo Performance for Mpume Mthombeni and Best Technical Achievement for Tina Le Roux. It was selected as the Noorderzon Critics Choice at the 2023 Noordezon Festival of Performing Arts in the Netherlands.
Translations and adaptations
Performance history in South Africa
Since its premiere at the 2022 National Arts Festival, the production has toured throughout South Africa and Europe to sold-out houses and rave reviews with performances at the National Arts Festival, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre (Durban), The Market Theatre (Joburg), Hilton Arts Festival (KZN), Noordezon Festival of Performing Arts (Groningen Netherlands), The Kampnagel International Summer Festival (Hamburg,Germany) and La Bâtie – Festival de Genève (Switzerland). It has just returned from a season at the Schlachthaus Theatre in Berne, Switzerland.
2025: Performed by at the Baxter Flipside (9 to 19 April), directed by Neil Coppen, with lighting design by Tina Le Roux, sound design by Tristan Horton, set design by Greg King and set dressing by Dylan McGarry, Neil Coppen and Wendy Henstock.
International performances
2023 Noordezon Festival of Performing Arts in the Netherlands.
Sources
https://www.newslink.co.za/isidlamlilo-the-fire-eater-at-the-baxter/
Go to ESAT Bibliography
Return to
Return to South_African_Films
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 South African Radio Plays and Serials
Return to South African Television Plays and Series
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
2025: Performed at the Baxter Flipside 9 to 19 April, directed by Neil Coppen.
