By Khabonina Mdokwe
Before Group Areas Act, South Africans of different races could live side by side, share culinary tastes, cultures and even meet in spaces of entertainment despite the law saying they were not really allowed.
Places like District Six in Cape Town, Sophiatown in Johannesburg and Edendale in Pietermaritzburg would see this amalgamation. 1950s Sophiatown came to life in the Durban Playhouse recently in a production directed by award-winning playwright, Aubrey Sekhabi.
Theatre lovers and school children filled The Playhouse Theatre to experience the iconic theatre masterpiece. “It was our first time seeing it. I loved how it showcases real life experiences. My wife kept on asking me questions about history for context. It was a great learning experience for her,” expressed Durbanite, Karan Sharma.
Under the Native Resettlement Act, Act 19 of 1954., black residents of Sophiatown were forcefully removed from their homes in Sophia Town to Meadowlands in Soweto.
The music is not just background noise in this production, but the soul of the play. The jazz threads everything together, stirring up that bittersweet nostalgia that hits and suddenly you are in the streets of Kofifi. “The play brought back so many childhood memories man, especially the music. I remember we used to sing these songs in the rain when we were young,” said Refentse Mohapi.
The Durban Playhouse has a number of productions that can be enjoyed by audiences.
