Shakespeare o a Tshela

Alastair Hagger, Project Director, Shakespeare o a Tshela / Head of Communications, Maru-a-Pula & Maitisong “Learning is but an adjunct to ourself And where we are our learning likewise is” – Love’s Labours Lost

After ten months of challenging work, we find ourselves just a week away from the Shakespeare Lives in Botswana Showcase Event, during which over 100 Batswana poets, actors and performers will bring Shakespeare’s work to life on the Maitisong stage.

This project now belongs to the performers. As Project Director I have been lucky enough to see their work developing during workshops held by our six theatre practitioners from the UK and South Africa. These workshops are the cauldron of ideas from which magic can and does regularly happen. I have seen music, and humour, and some moments of stunning innovation; in every workshop I saw nothing but total commitment by these young people to learn from the practitioner and use that new knowledge as a springboard for personal interpretation.

It’s also been an unforgettable experience for the practitioners themselves. Lali Dangazele, of ShakeXperience, said: “The ‘Shakespeare o a Tshela’ initiative has truly made me realise the universality of Shakespeare's work. The students we worked with were inspiring - they committed to the work and applied themselves in a way that left me believing that we have a lot to look forward to in this generation.”

UK-based theatre director Gregory Thompson said it was “a privilege and a delight to work with such wonderful people.” “The students were a little nervous to start with, as they were used to reading Shakespeare from their text books in class,” said Ben Spiller, founder of the 1623 Theatre Company. “However, once they realised that they had permission to play and explore ideas from the plays through games, they really entered the spirit of performance and brought the characters vividly to life.”

The Showcase Event, on Wednesday April 13th, 6pm, at Maitisong, will feature performances by students from Maru-a-Pula School, Naledi Senior Secondary School, St Joseph’s College, Kagiso Senior Secondary School, Moeding College, Ledumang Senior Secondary School, the University of Botswana, AFDA, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, and The Company@Maitisong.  Government school students will be performing scenes from ‘Twelfth Night’; the other performers will be presenting selected moments from Shakespeare’s work in dynamic and innovative interpretations. 

We are also delighted to announce that poets Barolong Seboni, Moroka Moreri and Mandisa Mabuthoe, and musician Zeus, will be presenting newly commissioned work written especially for the event. It’s going to be an unforgettable night – Maitisong will be filled with the beautiful human spirit of learning and sharing that Shakespeare so vividly explores in his plays and poetry. Be part of it!

Tickets for the April 13th Showcase event, just P20, are available from www.webtickets.co.bw and the Maitisong office (397 1809). To find out more about Shakespeare o a Tshela, go to www.maitisong.org/shakespeare or call Alastair Hagger on 391 2953 ext. 206.