Pula

Pula: A Prayer for Rain (1981) is a play by Matsemela Manaka.

The original text

A four-hander, but with twelve parts, the play comprises four movements, each revealing a different aspect of the demoralization of the black man in South Africa, and uses dance, chanting and physical tableaux, as well as verbal elements. Pula was conceived and developed by Matsemela Manaka in collaboration with his theatre group, Soyikwa.

Published in Market Plays (ed Stephen Gray) by Ad Donker, in 1986.

Performance history in South Africa

From 1981 to 1984, various versions of Pula were presented in Johannesburg. Prior to its premiere, Soyikwa rehearsed and improvised for a year and a half.

The play won the Amstel Playwright of the Year Award (????***) in 198* and was first performed at the DOCC in 1982?*, directed by Manaka?* and featuring **, **.

1982: The play was presented at the Black Chain Hall in Diepkloof, Soweto by Soyikwa African Theatre in February 1982. It transferred to the Nunnery Theatre in Johannesburg in March 1982. It then ran at the Laager from 2 August 1982 under Manaka's direction with the following cast: Ronnie Mkwanazi, Danny Moitse, David Sebe, and Makarious Sebe.

Later produced at the Nunnery Theatre at the University of the Witwatersrand with Makarious Sebe, ** (See Gosher, 1988, **) Also published in/by** Skotaville.

2004: Staged in the Sanlam Studio Theatre at the Baxter Theatre in February 2004, directed by Tshamano Sebe, with Mbulelo Grootboom, Phikolomzi Magongoma, Andile Nebulane and Thembinkosi Njokweni.

Sources

Stephen Gray (ed.). 1986. Market Plays. AD Donker.

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