Nongqawuse | SEASON 5

How do we begin to excavate and uncover the fragments of a story cemented in history? And how do we understand a figure whose story has largely been reduced to a singular narrative?

Conceptualised and directed by Calvin Ratladi and performed by Chuma Sopotela, Nongqawuse is an 11-minute epic focussed on the amaXhosa prophetess whose prophesies supposedly resulted in the Xhosa cattle-killing movement and famine of 1856-7. This is how Nongqawuse is most-often remembered, and there is supposedly little else about her that is recorded in oral or written accounts of her life.

CONCEPTUALISED AND DIRECTED BY | Calvin Ratladi
PERFORMED BY | Chuma Sopotela
MUSICAL DIRECTION BY | Nhlanhla Mahlangu
MUSICAL TRANSLATION BY | Lulamile Nikani
COSTUMES BY | Shruthi Nair

PRODUCTION FOR THE CENTRE
FOUNDER | William Kentridge
CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR | Bronwyn Lace
MOMENTEUR FOR THE SO ACADEMY | Athena Mazarakis
DIRECTOR OF CINEMATOGRAPHY & EDITOR | Noah Cohen
CINEMATOGRAPHER & EDITOR | Bukhosibakhe “Pantsulatographer” Khoza
SOUND DESIGNER & ENGINEER | Zain Vally
ASSISTANT SOUND ENGINEER | Ross Culverwell
HOLDER & HEAD STAGE MANAGER | Dimakatso Motholo
WRITER & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER | David Mann
SCENOGRAPHER & COSTUME DESIGNER | Nthabiseng Malaka
HOUSEKEEPING & SPACE MANAGER | Gracious Dube
PHOTOGRAPHER | Zivanai Matangi
ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHER | Bash Hops
LIVESTREAM ENGINEER | Chris-Waldo de Wet
LIGHTING DESIGNER | Wesley France
LIGHTING ENGINEER | Matthews Phala
LIGHTING ASSISTANT | Bongani Mpofu
FRONT OF HOUSE | Hayleigh Evans & POPArt Productions
UPLOADS MANAGER | Niamh Walsh-Vorster
LIGHTING, SOUND & STAGE GEAR SUPPLIER | Gearhouse Splitbeam (Pty) Ltd
SOUND EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER | SoulFire Studio (Pty) Ltd

#lessgoodidea
@lessgoodidea