Long before modern theatre came into the picture, traditional theatre existed.
People watched shows such as Mathari, One Must Die and Ifindo that were staged in community halls. When protest theatre became dominant during apartheid, traditional stories died down. It is why playwright and director Bogosi Bolokwe, who also acted in Mathari, decided to bring the style of theatre back to introduce young people to it and remind those who have seen in the 1970s and '80s.
The Tlhabane-born, Rustenburg, writer who has travelled the world revives the style with his show Marangrang (chaos in Bechuanaland). The story was scheduled to open at the Joburg Theatre last year but it had to be postponed due to Covid-19 regulations. Marangrang boasts a huge cast of 22 people, including dancers and actors and staging under strict lockdown regulations did not work for the theatre.
The story is set in North West and is based on the Bechuana tribe under king Kgodungwe. According to Bolokwe, it was written in 2008 and deals with how greed and politics divided a nation.
When king Kgodungwe realised that he was getting older, he decided to choose his successor while he was still alive. He gathered the community to choose which one of his two sons, Marumo and Rantshope, should take over. But what was meant to be a simple process ended up dividing the Batswana nation and there was bloodshed.
“I decided to revive these kinds of shows because they are no longer there. We grew up watching these shows at city halls. One story that has continued to be stage is Shaka Zulu. I also wanted to revive the traditional Tswana stories.
The story is based on the Bechuana nation fighting for their rights and kingdom. The story speaks about an African continent engulfed by wars due to dictators and politicians who are supposed to devote their lives to serve the needs of the people.
“In the story, the succession debate attracts even the wives in the Batswana royalty who lead it to the wrong direction. Argument becomes rife and unsolved until the king dies. Marangrang becomes effective when the wife of the king consults a witch doctor. The nation is divided as others oppose Rantsope’s ruling.”
Bolokwe is set to stage Marangrang at the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani as part of Black History Month. The show’s brief season starts on February 4 and ends on February 7. Bolokwe feels that the story of Marangrang is more relevant now than it was 13 years ago when he initially penned the play.
“The story resonates with what is happening in SA right now. We see a lot of dictatorships and factions in politics. In the story, we talk about Bechuanaland but in real life we have divisions everywhere. Look at how the Zulu royalty had to go to court to resolve a dispute about who is the right king. In the ANC, there are two factions who are fighting among each other but they are serving one organisation,” Bolokwe says.
“I brought the story back not only to open people's eyes about what is happening but also to educate people that political struggle is not a tale of today, it has been active for centuries.”
In the play, Bolokwe features both young and established actors who assist him in bringing the story to life. Bolokwe, a product of the Gibson Kente School of Acting in Dube, Soweto, has worked with a number of respected directors and musicians both locally and internationally.
The writer is also a genius when it comes to sound and lighting design and has worked on the Ghana Music Awards, London's Mobo Awards and also did Miss Malaika. Internationally, he has worked with the likes of musicians Joe Cocker, Elton John, Tracy Chapman and Brian Adams.
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