Mama and the Load
Hugely popular township musical by Gibson Kente (1932-2004). (Also known by a number of varieties of the name, often simply “The Load”)
Contents
The original text
The musical explores a mother’s commitment to the education of her children and the conflict between political pressures and family/community solidarity.
Unpublished.
Translations and adaptations
A docu-drama, Going Back, based on the musical, was produced by SABC in 1981. The Congress of South African Students (COSAS) called for a boycott of his plays as it was unhappy that Kente was working with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Going Back.
Performance history in South Africa
1979: First performed 1979. Toured the black townships of the country for years, with up to four companies out at a time, and was the first of his plays to be noticed by the non-black press.
1980: Performed in the Concert Hall, Baxter Theatre in 1980, directed by Gibson Kente, featuring Seipati Sothoane.
1981: Mama and the Load at Market Theatre.
Sources
Andile Xaba. 2021. 'Collective memory and the construction of a historical narrative, analysis and interpretation of selected Soweto-based community plays (1984–1994)'. Unpublished PhD thesis.
Sam Mathe. 'Gibson Kente: Overdue yet timeous tribute'. The Star. 15 December 2017.
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