<Bz43>'Woman in Waiting' coming to City Hall
Thembi Mtshali’s autobiographical, one-woman show, ‘Woman in Waiting’, makes its debut at City Hall theatre tomorrow evening as the first of two performances.
Created and directed by Yael Farber, it tells the story of Ms Mtshali’s life growing up as a black woman under the brutally oppressive poverty and racist policies of South Africa’s apartheid system — and of the stroke of luck which made it possible for her to leave behind life as a domestic servant for a career in the performing arts.
Ms Mtshali is from a Zulu culture, and grew up in rural South Africa. The play, co-authored by Ms Farber and Ms Mtshali, tracks the geography of her life from her early years in the rural villages to her first experience in the townships and in the Johannesburg culture. Various styles of dances and musical movements are incorporated and manifested in the play, reflecting South Africa’s diversity of cultures.
Set, costume, props, sound and lighting are deliberately kept to a minimum to focus attention on the power of the performer — an approach to staging which is characteristic of much of South Africa’s contemporary theatre.
Tomorrow and Saturday’s performances begin at 8 p.m. For ticket availability check the Bermuda Festival box office next to the ferry terminal on Front Street between 12 noon and 2 p.m., or