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AfriCan Theatre Ensemble proudly presents 'Softown' during the Black History Season: February 1 – April 2, 2010
‘Softown’ is an abridged version of Sophiatown specifically adapted for students from Grade four to 12. 'Softown' runs for exactly 45 minutes, short enough to retain the students' attention whilst still comprehensive enough for students to fully engage with the themes and lessons retained from the original unabridged text. This year we will once again offer an optional post performance 15 minute question and answer session with the actors. Our comprehensive Study Guide is available to educators with the booking of a performance to further explore and reinforce the lessons and themes within the play. The Study Guide conveys and explains relevant themes to the students and the performance lends a tangibility to these themes. For a copy of the study guide, please click here. The play Sophiatown is about a household living in a ‘freehold’ home. The head of the house is a widow whose two children – Lulu, a teenage school girl and Mingus, a young man who is getting involved in gangs – live with her. The family has other tenants, including Mingus’ girlfriend Princess and sidekick Charlie, a journalist Jakes, who works for a popular sensational magazine, and a political activist in his forties Fahfee who runs an illegal betting game. Into this household arrives a young Jewish woman, Ruth Golden, from a middleclass caucasian neighbourhood. The young woman is responding to an advertisement by the journalist Jakes for a ‘white girl’ to come share his apartment so that he can observe a white woman’s ways. However, the young woman has come on a search of her own. She wants to find out: how does it feel to be black? Ruth Golden’s question is expanded by the other characters as what does it mean to be white, to be Jewish? The show examines intercultural and inter-ethnic interactions and further explores questions of: How can we learn to respect one another’s differences in a culturally pluralistic society? What does a family or a community feel when it confronts imminent and inevitable destruction of its abode? What kind of empathy does the imagining of such an experience of trauma call for? What language, what symbolism and what kind of plot does a representation of this experience demand of the playwright wishing to capture the intensity, urgency and nuances of such a story without the representation becoming sensational or strident? Below is background information on Sophiatown and the themes the play explores. Softown Information: Please forward all inquiries to: Vendredi Mounsey, Audience Development, Outreach and Publicity Coordinator vendredi@africantheatre.org OR info@africantheatre.org Call: 416-364-7313 What our Past Audiences have said: "I thought the play was well written and extremely well acted. I was pleased with the post performance chat, especially with the questions the students asked about the play. They understood the unfairness of the time and the general themes of the play. The staff was sincere and a pleasure to work with." M. Botrie, Cassandra Public School, Toronto "The show had a great cast and had a powerful message! It depicted a tough real life situation in South Africa, but the actors added humour to make it more tolerable. The acting was excellent, and the combination of humour, music and great story telling made this an excellent performance!" St. Paul Catholic Secondary School, Mississauga "I enjoyed the dance moves, singing and general plot. I enjoyed how the inherent themes of discrimination, differentation and the Apartheid were presented." St. Anthony Catholic Elementary School, Thornhill "The play [Softown] was great! The performances and script were interesting and appealing...Overall it was a tight, well performed piece." S. Banman – Teacher, Winona Drive Senior Public School, Toronto "The students responded enthusiastically to all the interactive parts of the play(Anansewa), especially when the storyteller- John Campbell- and the other actors spoke or acted from the floor of the gym. It was an entertaining performance by very expressive and talented actors." "As an audience we felt very connected to the seven performers as they told us stories, danced, sang and played musical instruments. At times we felt their dancing vibrate through our bodies as we shared the stage floor with the company. The performance had many layers that appealed to a wide range of ages. I would highly recommend this theatre company to educators looking for a rich, engaging presentation that leaves the audience wanting more." "What a superb and provocative performance! We were totally spellbound by the textured theatrical messages, music, movements and design! Thank you for extending the invitation. We will have much to discuss, debate, question and reflect upon over the coming days... I was thrilled to see a 'full house' and look forward to your upcoming projects!" Additional Information: View the video below for additional information on historical data on Sophiatown.
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