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Raisedon Baya
I grew up in Makokoba, a neighbourhood known as the ghetto of ghettos. I’m not sure now whether the Makokoba I grew up in is still the same as the one I see nowadays. When I was growing up more than half the children in Makokoba wanted to get out as fast as possible; most actually believed that getting out of the ghetto was the same as getting out of poverty.
There were only three tickets to get out of Makokoba then. The first one being, getting an education. Get a good education, get a good job and get out! That is what our teachers and parents repeatedly told us. The majority of us went for this ticket. The second was the sports ticket, which the likes of Peter Ndlovu and many others grabbed with excited hands or is it legs and left the ghetto.
The third and last was the arts ticket. Back then the likes of Amakhosi Theatre, Black Umfolosi and Sunduza dance theatre had started opening doors to European markets. For young and aspiring artistes, especially the talented ones, the biggest dream was going to Europe and never coming back. I only know a few who lived this dream.
I grew up watching lots of plays, showcased by Amakhosi, Drama Force, Core Force, Isibane Sezwe, Young Warriors and Iluba Elimnyama among many other groups.
There were many groups which offered a variety of plays and it was exciting. Watching a performance was a ritual, an experience. Audiences knew what they came for and they were disciplined. Or at least for Amakhosi shows the bouncers disciplined unruly audiences. If you made noise during a performance the “Karatekas” quickly chucked you out. If you came to a performance in a drunken stupor, Amakhosi members quickly made sure you behaved or you went home. It was as simple as that.
Now things are different, the discipline is gone. Watching a theatre performance can be a nightmare these days. The noise is too much. Drunkards can say anything, even heckle artistes on stage and no one says anything. Recently, I watched some performances at Stanley Hall and I must say the experience left me almost disoriented. I remember wanting to stand up and scream “Please can you shut up!” or just a simple “Silence!” During one of the performances, a visibly intoxicated girl kept standing up and screaming, “I love you” to the actors on stage. Whether she really loved the actors or it was beer talking is neither here nor there. What got to my nerves was that there was no one to shut her up.
Watching theatre is different from watching a dance piece or a musical concert. It is a ritual that demands utmost concentration. Once you get to the theatre please make sure you get to your seat and switch of your phone or put it on silent.
Switching it off is much better, as it allows all your focus towards enjoying the performance. Cellphones currently top the list of performance disturbers the world over.
Stay in your seat unless it is extremely unavoidable. Of course you are allowed to go to the toilet when nature calls but too much movement within the theatre is disruptive.
If you can avoid it do not speak once the performance has started. Do not even try and whisper. Watch and enjoy what is being presented to you.
Audiences are allowed to laugh while the performance is going on. But the laughter must be such that the performance can smoothly go on.
It is ok to eat or drink within the theatre. However, always remember the performance is what you came for, not the drinks or eats.
Last but not least acknowledge the artistes at the end of the performance by giving them a round of applause. The actors expect it. They love it. They feed on it.
It is no secret the stories we tell are inspired by the townships/ghettos. Most of us want our work presented where it is relevant and without any doubt the ghetto is where our stories come from and where they belong. However, most actors, even those that come from the ghettos, do believe the ghettos are currently not the best places to perform in. Why? Because of crime, and people coming to the shows for reasons other than to appreciate art. I believe it is our task to cultivate audiences in the ghettos — and to teach proper audience culture. Amakhosi Theatre did it before. It can be done again. And it starts by teaching them to shut up when they get into the theatre.
derick.khumalo