As a student with a low budget and a love of theater, I was ecstatic when I realised that I would be given the opportunity to watch Mbongeni Ngema’s Sarafina at the South African State Theater.
Now, I am pretty sure that most people are familiar with the story of Sarafina, which is set during the 1976 uprisings in Soweto and deals with a young schoolgirl who becomes part of the riots and is then tortured by the South African Police.
Immediately as the show started with vibrant Mbaqanga fused with jazz, rhythm and blues I knew that I would be in for quite a ride. Already, I was tapping my feet and smiling, then in came the cast matching the vibrancy and energy of the music. Even though there were moments of laughter and the desire to get up and dance, I was also reminded of the blood and tears shed by the youth as result of their resistance against the oppressive times that was Apartheid.
To be quite honest, I don’t even know what to say because I don’t want to over-hype the show and have you as the viewer feel underwhelmed if you decide to spoil yourself by watching the show, but I think it’s a must-see. If I were given the opportunity to watch a show filled with talented young performances again, I would definitely say yes.
