I SEE YOU BY MONGIWEKHAYA TO TRANSFER TO THE FUGARD THEATRE, CAPE TOWN

Following its premiere and sold out run at The Royal Court Theatre in February this year Mongiwekhaya’s critically acclaimed new play I See You will transfer to the Fugard Studio Theatre, Cape Town for a limited run 6 May until 28 May 2016. As previously announced I See You opened at the Market Theatre, Johannesburg on 13 April and runs until 1st May 2016.
The cast include Jordan Baker, Desmond Dube, Bayo Gbadamosi, Austin Hardiman, Sibusiso Mamba, Lunga Radebe and Kim Sanssoucie. Desmond, Lunga and Kim are all based in South Africa.

Commenting on the transfer to his home town South African playwright Mongiwekhaya said;
“I See You at the Royal Court has been a powerful influence on my life and with the play’s arrival at the Market Theatre this story comes home at an important time in South Africa’s history. The announcement by the Fugard Theatre to present the work to Cape Town audiences is extraordinary and I am full of gratitude. Time and a community of artists have come to show how mighty the written word is.”

I See You is a Royal Court Theatre and Market Theatre, co-production and was developed by the Royal Court’s International Department and is presented as part of International Playwrights, a Genesis Foundation Project.
Over the last two decades the Royal Court’s International department has led the way in the development and production of new international plays, facilitating work at grass-roots level and developing exchanges which bring young writers and directors to work with emerging artists around the world through a programme of long-term workshops and residencies. All these projects are supported by the Genesis Foundation and the British Council.

The Royal Court has a longstanding connection to new writing in South Africa. In 1973, Sizwe Banzi is Dead by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona was produced in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs and was followed by a season of three plays in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. In July 2014, exactly 40 years later, a new project was born in South Africa. 11 young writers from all parts of the country were selected to take part in a two-year project, working with playwrights Leo Butler, Winsome Pinnock and International Director Elyse Dodgson supported by the British Council and Connect ZA. As a result eleven new plays were created – works that give an insight into South African life today and the urgent concerns of a younger generation two decades after the end of Apartheid. In May 2014 six of the writers were invited to London to present their work as staged readings New Plays from South Africa: After 20 Years. In 2015 the Market Theatre in Johannesburg staged readings of all eleven plays and many of them now have full productions in some of the country’s major theatres. The writers have formed a powerful collective to support new writing in South Africa – Play Riot. #

Commenting on I See You the Royal Court Theatre’s International Director, Elyse Dodgson said;
“I See You has had a remarkable journey from workshops in South Africa with 11 inspiring young writers, to the Royal Court, The Market Theatre and now the Fugard. I have no doubt that the voices of this new generation of South African writers will have great impact in many parts of the world as we celebrate the homecoming of this urgent new play.”

Eric Abraham, founding producer and owner of The Fugard added;
“The Fugard Theatre is committed to putting on great theatre and occasionally providing a space to showcase the next generation of South African voices. We felt it essential to introduce Mongiwekhaya’s I See You to a Cape Town audience. The play is a deeply moving and poignant exploration of the struggles of a new generation and of issues around identity and disconnection of language, across race, class and age. We are especially thrilled to host Noma Dumezweni’s directorial debut”.

Award-winning actress Noma Dumezweni made her directorial debut. With design by Soutra Gilmour, lighting by Richard Howell, sound and composition by Giles Thomas and movement by Luyanda Sidiya.

Based on a real encounter, I See You addresses the questions of a new generation of South Africans encountering their country’s traumatised past.
Ben (Bayo Gbadamosi) meets Skinn (Jordan Baker) for a night out. But the party is interrupted by the police. Ben, a young student who doesn’t know his own history, is accused of a crime he didn’t commit. And Officer Buthelezi (Desmond Dube) , a former freedom fighter, can’t let it go.

“I don’t need your sorries white boy. Yes, you heard right. You know white people think we’re the same? We both look black. But only one of us is black.”

I See You (English) / Ngiyakubona (Zulu) / Ek Sien Jou (Afrikaans) / Ndiyakubona (Xhosa)

Full listings and biography information below.

For more information or images please contact Anoushka Hay on 0207 565 5063 / AnoushkaHay@royalcourttheatre.com

Notes to Editors:

Listings Information:
I See You
By Mongiwekhaya
Directed by Noma Dumezweni
Laager Theatre, Market Theatre, Cnr Bree and Miriam Makeba, Johannesburg, 2001
Running until Sunday 1 May
A Royal Court Theatre and Market Theatre, Johannesburg production
International Playwrights: A Genesis Foundation Project
Tuesday – Sunday 8.15pm
Age Guidance +14
Tickets R95.00
Concessions R65.00

I See You
By Mongiwekhaya
Directed by Noma Dumezweni
Fugard Theatre, Caledon Street (off Buitenkant Street), District 6, Cape Town
Friday 6 May – Saturday 28 May
*A Royal Court Theatre and Market Theatre, Johannesburg production
International Playwrights: A Genesis Foundation Project*
Tuesday – Saturday 8 PM
Saturday matinees 4pm
Tickets R120 to R170
Discounts Available

Mongiwekhaya is a writer, performer and director with Handspring Puppet Company and has recently performed in the international tour of Ubu and the Truth Commission. Previous work includes Kagg’an Dreams (Handspring Trust); Fallen, The Feather Collector (Grahamstown Festival). He is currently Artist in Residence for Center for Humanities Research (CHR) at the University of Western Cape and a member of the newly formed SA Playriot group.

Noma Dumezweni makes her directorial debut. Her work as an actor includes Linda (Royal Court), Carmen Disruption (Almeida), The Bogus Woman (The Red Room/Traverse and Bush), President of an Empty Room and The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other (National); Macbeth, Breakfast with Mugabe, The Winter’s Tale, Romeo and Juliet (RSC), A Raisin in the Sun (Young Vic), A Human Being Died That Night (Hampstead/The Fugard, Cape Town/ Market Theatre/BAM, New York). Awards include an Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for A Raisin in the Sun.

Luyanda Sidiya’s choreography includes Dominion (SANAA Africa/Soweto Theatre/ Canadian Stage Company), Makwande (Kuopio Dance Festival, Finland), Fullmoon (Johannesburg Mandela Theatre) and Siva (Seven) (National Arts Festival 2015). He trained at Dance Factory (Johannesburg) and Moving into Dance Mophatong (MIDM). As a dancer his credits include MIDM Company – performed nationally and internationally, in Botswana, U.S.A, Sweden, Austria, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg and the 2010 FIFA World Cup Opening Concert. He taught choreography and African dance modules at Bennington College in Vermont USA before joining the ACE dance and Music Company in the UK for 3 years, first as a dancer and then as rehearsal director. Awards include Most Outstanding Dancer in a Contemporary Style (2007 Dance Umbrella Festival) and Umnikelo (2012 Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award, National Arts Festival). He is the Artistic Director at Vuyani Dance Theatre and co-founded Luthando Arts Academy.

Jordan Baker made her Royal Court debut with I See You. Her television credits include EastEnders and Doctors.

Desmond Dube made his Royal Court debut with I See You. Other theatre credits include You Fool How Can the Sky Fall, Julius Caesar (Nelson Mandela Theatre), Who Really Freed Nelson (Market Theatre), Nongogo (The Canadian Stage/Soweto/Market Theatre), Protest (South African State) and Survival (Civic). His film credits include Hotel Rwanda, Book of Negroes, Love and Broken Bones, The Long Run and Millenium Menace. His television credits include No1 Ladies Detective Agency, Suburban Bliss, Jacob’s Cross and Hopeville. Awards include a Best Supporting Actor Naledi Award for Nongogo.

Bayo Gbadamosi made his Royal Court debut with I See You. Other theatre credits include Little Revolution (Almeida), Mad About the Boy (Unicorn/Bush/Young Vic/Edinburgh Fringe), Little Baby Jesus (Oval House), The Gods Are Not to Blame, The Litter and Uncle Vanya (Young Vic). His film credits include Swarm and Mission London.

Austin Hardiman made his Royal Court debut with I See You. Other theatre credits include The First Man, Fog (Jermyn) and The Dead Wait (Park). His film credits include Let the Die Be Cast: Initium, False Murder, The Sorrows, Phylis, W.E and Forget Me Not. His television credits include Ma-Mon and Dancing on the Edge.

Sibusiso Mamba made his Royal Court debut with I See You. Other theatre credits include Sizwe Banzi is Dead (Young Vic Theatre/London and UK tour with Eclipse Theatre), Nongogo (Market Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (Chichester Festival), Othello (QM2), Train to 2010 (Crossroads) and Julius Caesar (Civic). His film credits include Crime: it’s a way of life, Coronation Street: Out of Africa and Wah-Wah. His television credits include Doctors, Isidingo, Society and Soul City. Sibusiso is Script Editor on the South African television show Skeem Saam and is International Associate Artist at Crossroads Theatre in New Jersey, USA.

Lunga Radebe made his Royal Court debut with I See You. Other theatre credits include Antigone: In the World (King Kreon/Kenya and South Africa Tour), Avalon: a New Township Play (Schapiro/UK Tour), Tears of Anatolia, The Seagull (Schapiro), The Last Pro in Yeoville (Windybrow/Grahamstown Arts Festival), Touch My Blood (Market Theatre, Grahamstown Arts Festival), The Dead Politician (Macufe Festival), Much Ado About Nothing, Armed Response, I Need a Gun, Love, Crime and Johannesburg (Wits), Mampatile (Wits/ Grahamstown Arts Festival), The Blue dress, Red Roses and Scarlet Tie (Civic) and Reverse Lullabyes (Drill Hall). His television credits include Skeem Saam, Vaya, Muvhango, Inzingane Zobaba, Mthunzini.com, Zero Tolerance and Backstage.

International Playwrights at The Royal Court Theatre

Over the last two decades the Royal Court has led the way in the development and production of new international plays, facilitating work at grass-roots level and developing exchanges which bring young writers and directors to work with emerging artists around the world. Through a programme of long-term workshops and residencies, in London and abroad, a creative dialogue now exists with theatre practitioners from over 70 countries, working in over 40 languages, most recently Chile, Cuba, Georgia, India, Lebanon, Mexico, Palestine, Russia, South Africa, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and Zimbabwe
All of these development projects are supported by the Genesis Foundation and the British Council.

The Royal Court has produced dozens of new international plays through this programme since 1997, most recently Fireworks by Dalia Taha (Palestine) in 2015, The Djinns of Eidgah by Abhiskek Majumdar (India), A Time to Reap by Anna Wakulik (Poland) in 2013, Remembrance Day by Aleksey Scherbak (Latvia), Our Private Life by Pedro Miguel Rozo (Colombia) in 2011 and Disconnect by Anupama Chandrasekhar (India) in 2010.

International Director: Elyse Dodgson
Associate Director (International): Richard Twyman
International Assistant: Sarah Murray

Established by John Studzinski 15 years ago, the Genesis Foundation works in partnership with the leaders of prestigious UK arts organisations such as the Royal Court, The Sixteen, Welsh National Opera and the Young Vic. Its largest funding commitment is to programmes that support directors, playwrights and musicians in the early stages of their professional lives.
In addition it awards scholarships to exceptional student actors at LAMDA and commissions stimulating new works, from choral compositions to light installations.
In 2015 the Genesis Foundation launched its first partnership outside the UK, funding residencies for playwrights at New York’s Signature Theatre.

Based in Johannesburg’s vibrant Newtown Precinct, The Market Theatre was established in 1976 to operate as an independent, non-racial playhouse during the country’s apartheid regime. The theatre is renowned world-wide for brilliant anti-apartheid productions as well as the premieres of many of Athol Fugard’s award-winning dramas. The Market Theatre’s history is intertwined with the cultural, social and political struggle for freedom in South Africa. The Market Theatre has a legacy for riveting storytelling and creating dialogue and thus has launched many initiatives that have supported and showcased many outstanding theatre productions. For more information please visit www.markettheatre.co.za

Athol Fugard is South Africa’s most significant and internationally acclaimed playwright. For over fifty years he has written soul-searing plays with roles for all South Africans which have moved audiences in South Africa and around the world to laughter and tears as they reflected the racism, barbarity and inhumanity of apartheid. Working with John Kani, the late Zakes Mokae and others he created iconic black characters whose narratives profoundly changed the way millions of people viewed apartheid. In his over thirty plays Athol Fugard champions truth and a fundamental universal humanity. In 2011 he received the ultimate recognition from the world’s most prestigious theatre community – a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatre.
The Fugard Theatre is proud to bear his name and will honour him by providing a crucible of creativity and beacon of humanity for all South Africans regardless of race, colour, gender or creed. The Fugard Theatre is proud too to be located in District 6 and honours the history and memory of that vibrant community which was so savagely uprooted during the apartheid era.

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