Double Bill: Ghoema + Gauteng (for Ebenhaezer)
Wed Aug 12, 19:30 - Thu Aug 13, 20:15
Alliance Française du Cap
ABOUT
Ghoema: Rediscovering The Journey Of Me is a deeply personal and evocative musical journey that celebrates identity, heritage, and the sounds that shape us. Through storytelling, song, and rich musical textures, the production traces a path through childhood memories, community traditions, and the diverse influences that have contributed to the MNIX musical voice.
Audiences will experience the vibrant rhythms of the Kaapse Klopse, the soulful improvisations of Cape Jazz, and the rich storytelling traditions of Cape folk music, woven seamlessly together with the elegance and discipline of Western classical music. Each musical moment serves as a reflection of lived experiences, cultural heritage, and the enduring power of music to connect generations.
More than a performance, Ghoema: Rediscovering The Journey Of Me is an exploration of belonging, resilience, and self-discovery. It invites listeners to reflect on their own journeys while celebrating the unique cultural tapestry of the Cape. Through heartfelt narratives and
captivating musical performances, the show honours the past, embraces the present, and reimagines the future through the universal language of music.
Join us for an unforgettable evening where tradition meets artistry, memory meets melody, and every rhythm tells a story.
Duration: 30min
Cast and team: MNIX
Gauteng (for Ebenhaezer) is a poetic theatre piece that brings South Africa’s cities to life as a fractured family through blending spoken word, live music, and satire. Gauteng and Kaapstad, estranged lovers, leave their “children"—Hillbrow, Yeoville, Maboneng, Sandton, and Msawawa. Streets and suburbs become living archives of trauma, memory, and resilience, capturing the contradictions of post-liberation South Africa.
When Gauteng and Kaapstad separate, their children begin to fall apart: Hillbrow spirals into addiction, Yeoville dies, Maboneng is poisoned, and Sandton turns his back on the family. At home, the youngest, Msawawa, neglects his cousin Eskom, pushing the family further into darkness. Years later, Newtown returns to pick up the pieces.
Performed with minimal staging, a single crate, live music, and dynamic physicality, Gauteng (for Ebenhaezer) moves fluidly between humor, satire, and heartbreak. It is both a love letter and an elegy: a meditation on loss, survival, and creative endurance. Gauteng (for Ebenhaezer) invites audiences to witness a city’s pulse, its fractures, and its undying capacity for song, memory, and connection.
Duration: 30min
Age Restriction: 14
Cast and team: Melusi Mnqobi Molefe and Qondiswa James (performers). Band: Asher Gamedze, Yolanda Ntanyana, and Umuthiomkhulu Ensemble