Boababs Don't Grow Here

Boababs Don't Grow Here is a two-hander physical theatre piece by by Sylvaine Strike, James Cunningham and Helen Iskander.

The original text

The piece follows the journey of a Romany couple who flee Eastern Europe to find Africa's giant baobab tree in hopes of gaining fertility and strength for their children. The two actors play various characters as the story winds its way through Europe, North Africa and finally ends in South Africa. In the process the play tells a love story dealing with a married couple's volatility, jealousy, dreams, passion and love, using comedy, mime, live accordion music, puppetry and a set that transforms to create different images.[1]

The text was co-devised by Sylvaine Strike with James Cunningham and Helen Iskander and first performed by the theatre company Fresco Theatre in 2002.

Performance history

2002: First staged in Johannesburg by the theatre company Fresco Theatre, directed by Sylvaine Strike and performed by James Cunningham and Helen Iskander. The play then went on tour of a range of cities, including Durban, Grahamstown, Oudtshoorn, Windhoek and Harare, before undertaking a 9 week tour of the Unitef Kongsom, including a run at the Edinburgh Festival.

2003: On its return, the play was staged at the Baxter Theatre Studio in Cape Town from 6 to 24 January.

Awards

The play won a Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Festival and earned Sylvaine Strike the Fleur du Cap Award as Best New Director.

Sources

https://iol.co.za/entertainment/whats-on/2003-12-19-husband-and-wife-perform-baobabs-at-baxter/