Nearly a decade since its premiere and 15 top South African awards later, Lara Foot’s Karoo Moose returns to the stage with the original cast.
Following its success at the National Arts Festival recently, the production now comes to the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio from Wednesday August 31 to Saturday September 24.
The story of Karoo Moose is brought to life by Zoleka Helesi, Mdu Kweyama, Bongile Mantsai, Thami Mbongo, Chuma Sopotela and Mfundo Tshazibane. The actors each perform a key character and double up to play multiple additional characters adding to the magic of the story.
Performed in English with Xhosa, the story takes place in a remote and impoverished village in the Karoo, where the inhabitants are struggling to survive. A young girl called Thozama ends up killing a moose. But how did the moose get there?
The play was originally written as a film entitled No Fathers. Writer and director Foot tackles the disintegration of the family unit and the violation of innocence endured by so many South African children.
The play combines African story-telling and magical realism.
“The themes of the story for me were bound up in the idea that the children in the village needed some kind of magical event to free them from abuse, neglect and poverty.
“Something magical was needed to break the cycle of violence,” says Foot.
Set and lighting design is by Patrick Curtis, musical direction and lyrics by Bongile Mantsai, choreography by Mdu Kweyama and costumes and props by Koos Marais. Book through Computicket.
For corporate, block or school bookings, charities and fundraisers, contact Sharon Ward at021 680 3962 or sharon.ward@uct.ac.za