Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe is etched into the fabric of our nation’s history as a towering figure, a leader whose profound role in the African liberation movement often goes unrecognised. His life is a powerful narrative of deep conviction and an unrelenting quest for justice. This legacy cries out for acknowledgement and remembrance. This poignant tale will be brought to life in the stage production Lala Ngenxeba/Of Love And Revolution.

By Jabu Kumalo

The life and legacy of Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe, one of the most influential political leaders in our nation’s history, whose efforts in the African liberation struggle are too often overlooked, will be powerfully brought to life in a stage production called Lala Ngenxeba/Of Love And Revolution, a title that encapsulates the duality of Sobukwe’s life-his unwavering commitment to the revolution and his deep love for his country and people.

The enchanting performance is set to unfold at the Barney Simon Wing of the Market Theatre. Scheduled for its debut today, 14 November 2024, this play will be featured in the KAZA KAMBA Pan-African Theatre Festival. Following the festival, it will extend its engagement until 8 December 2024, coinciding with the week that honours Sobukwe’s birthday.

In a significant partnership with the City of Johannesburg and Arts Alive, The Market Theatre commissioned the play to celebrate Sobukwe’s hundredth anniversary, which coincides with his birthday on 5 December. This theatrical work is crafted to engage audiences with the remarkable journey of the founder and first president of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, exploring critical historical moments interwoven with his heartfelt correspondence to his wife, Veronica Sobukwe.

In an interview with the play’s director, Palesa Mazamisa, she acknowledged that “the rehearsals are challenging, in a positive way.

“There is a lot of discovery on different levels – historically, emotionally and mentally. The actors are being pushed, but they appreciate the challenge, as it is connecting them and me to our history and the journey of our ancestors,” pointed Mazamisa, an accomplished playwright, published writer and producer in her own right.

What kind of feeling would the director like the audience to leave with after watching the show?

“Hopefully, we will inspire the audience to learn more about Sobukwe and demand that Sobukwe be publicly acknowledged and integrated into South African history, imagination, public spaces, and platforms. The questions raised in the play are for the audience to ponder in their own private time and space. I hope the audience is also reminded of the sacrifice made by Sobukwe (and others).”

Lala Ngenxeba/Of Love and Revolution sets out to show how Sobukwe’s love-centred response to oppression fuelled his fighting spirit against oppression and racial injustice. Some of the defining events central to the play include the Sharpeville Massacre, life at various prisons leading up to ‘the Sobukwe Clause’, Robben Island, and life in Kimberly, where he worked as a lawyer and community icon.

About the preparations, their readiness to hit the stage and the rehearsals, Mazamisa said they were “in the final stages”.

“I suppose, as artists, we are highly self-critical. One needs to be more ready. Even after the closing of the play, there will still be thoughts of, we should have done it like this or that … I think it’s the artists’ process.”

Did she like the feeling of the play as it comes together – as it takes shape?

“The discovery process is demanding. It’s like conducting an orchestra, bringing all the elements together to create a harmonious and cohesive production that tells a story from different angles, sound, lighting, and performance. It’s nerve-wracking until it comes together, after which one can breathe. But it’s always a wonderful process in the end.”

Mazamisa said she thinks she has passed the stage where she would still be described as a young and upcoming director, as she has handled some big projects recently.

Her directorial debut happened in 2018 with a play called “Shoes & Coups: A Paradox of the Absurd”. Before that, she mainly wrote.

Mazamisa said: “These are true thespians. It’s been an exciting, stimulating, and engaging process. As actors, they are curious, willing, engaged, and thoughtful about the work, as shown in their dedication and commitment to developing the play. Their interaction as actors has also been phenomenal as they bring different strengths that complement one another. It’s been a high-energy production; we had to hit the ground running. I couldn’t have asked for a better cast for this production.”

She conceded that tackling a play about a giant of Sobukwe’s stature can be intimidating, though exciting at the same time: “It is somewhat intimidating. Sobukwe is a name that inspires awe and admiration. This man’s legacy is being maligned for reasons I still don’t understand. We have not heard voice recordings of him; the images of him are limited.

“His whole story is suppressed, so we are primarily left to our imagination about this particular icon. That makes tackling this play even more daunting, as one wouldn’t want to misrepresent him in any way. But it’s also an inspiring experience. One has an even greater appreciation of the man based on the little we know of him, and having an opportunity to share that story is truly an honour.

“This year, we celebrate the centenary of Sobukwe. He was born on 5 December 2024. We should appreciate an institution like The Market Theatre for giving a platform to Sobukwe, such a historically maligned giant. I have always been interested in Sobukwe and curious about the intentional silence around him, a silence that speaks loud, however.”

Asked whether it was not so difficult to get the message to come out as intended by the author (Monageng Vice Motshabi) or to come out beautifully, she said, “It’s a layered process. The writer creates the world on paper, which then is interpreted by the director in collaboration with actors and designers (light/sound/costume/set). Already, there are other layers of interpretation presented to the audience.

“The message that the audience eventually takes from the work concerns a director’s vision. Then again, the interpretation and meaning are for the individual to contemplate and will be based on the individual’s experience, philosophy, socialisation, and interests.

“With that said, there are particular broad messages that are universal, one being that it is undeniable that Sobukwe was a great man, a man being put through extreme forms of harassment and persecution, and a man who moved forward the road to freedom in tremendous ways that we continue to undermine today.

“Yes. The play delves into aspects of Sobukwe’s political and personal life. Vice (author) created a balance that complements those aspects of Sobukwe, and we can imagine how Sobukwe’s determination, passion, and drive fuelled both his love for politics and his love for his wife and family.

“This is a man who suffered the pain of being in isolation for years on end. How does this affect the man, the person? These questions dealt with in the play should generate further interest in getting to know more about Sobukwe.”

She said: “Perhaps the genius of Vice’s work is that it also attempts to show and imagine the human side of Sobukwe,” especially in letters he to his wife (Veronica). “In some of his letters to his wife Zondeni, he shows vulnerability, not knowing how MaZondeni and the kids are doing and how he is not at home to protect them, especially from the harassment of the Apartheid government. One wonders how this affected him while in solitary confinement. It must have plagued him considerably. We do get to experience some of this in the play.”

As a writer herself, she said it was a “humbling, daunting task and an honour” to work on the work of Monageng “Vice” Motshabi: “I’m a fan of Vice’s writing. He captures the political underpinning of South Africa, past and present, so well, and he does it in beautiful prose. His work is challenging, and thus, it is also a feat of sorts to rise to the challenge!”

Mazamisa said it was “perhaps a combination of both (to teach about the legacy of Sobukwe or to stir the conscience of those who want his memory to be thrown into the gutter and stay there), but mostly it is to remember, to acknowledge, to commemorate and to honour this giant.”

The production runs from 13 November to 8 December 2024. Tickets are available at Webtickets.