South African Road Trip’s ‘Good Hope’ is a swinging and exuberant musical experience, including uplifting songs, sensitive songs, close harmony and invigorating dance and music.
Lungiswa Theodora Plaatjies. Copyright Roeltje van de Sande Bakhuysen.The cast, led by the accomplished men of the Khayelitsha United Mambazo Choir and four renowned female Xhosa singers, with musical accompaniment of two imposing South-African musicians, all hail from the Langa, Nyanga, Khayelitsha townships around Cape Town, and are conquering the world with their Xhosa songs, dance and music.
With dazzling costumes, a beautiful video stage set and personal narratives by the artists, you will be immersed in a pure and sincere South-African experience.
This exuberant new edition of South African Road Trip is packed with traditional music, both cheerful and sensitive. Enjoy this vibrant authentic show!
Read our Q&A with Lungiswa Plaatjies.
Q: Can you tell us about South African Road Trip’s ‘Good Hope’?
Lungiswa: It is a variety of isicathamiya, indigenous instruments and gospel music, bringing different genres into one melting pot that creates the South African Road Trip.
Q: How would you describe South African music and dance?
Lungiswa: Country music is based on harmonies, vocals, and rhythm, Melodic is also based on call and response. South Africans also have a broad sense of other African instruments that we can infuse into our music and cultures. The dances of South Africa are based on the different cultures from the Xhosa people to the Zulu and so on inclusive of the new dance style that is being pioneered by the youth.
Q: What is at the heart of this production?
Lungiswa: In short, the heart of this production is to showcase and curate the different cultures, and expressions of South Africans. We are telling stories through art (clothes), music and dance.
Q: Can you tell us about mastering the art of ‘throat singing’?
Lungiswa: The art of throat singing is mainly based on the Xhosa culture, primarily the women who used pork, eating pork fat that helped them be able to be consistent as it cannot be accomplished on a dry throat. Also, the Mongolians have a way of throat singing that is very different from the Xhosa people.
Q; Why should everyone get along to see this show?
Lungiswa: The show is a South African story told through music and dance that explores different styles of singing and art that explores the cultural lifestyles that South Africans live. The combination of isicathamiya mixed with different instruments and music styles as it is more of an acapella-based genre and most of the show doesn’t really have western instruments par the guitar only.
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Cast:
Bulelani Zola Qumza, Thanduxolo Arthur Qumza, Xolisile Sydney Hobhoshe, Simphiwe Een Hobhoshe, Mzwabantu Eric Dunywa, Zwelandile Mbedu, Melumzi Bethwell Nyikana, Lindisipho Lennox Tsawe, Nontutuzelo Nyiki, Nomapostile Nyiki, Xoliswa Tom, Lungiswa Plaatjies, Sabu Jiyana, Mkokeli Moses Masala (Kim)
Creative team:
Producer: Inge Bos, Bos Theaterproducties Amsterdam
Director: Albert Klein Kranenburg
Musical Supervisor: Jeroen Sleyfer
Choreography: Silumko Koyana
Video Design: Catharina Scholten
Video footage: Stefan Hurter
Costume Design: Dorien de Jonge
Lighting Design: Bart van den Heuvel
South African Road Trip – from Khayelitsha, via Darling, to London’s West End
South African Road Trip: Good Hope
is at Sadler’s Wells
Peacock Theatre
Tuesday 25 – 30 October 2022
Box Office: Tel: 020 7863 8000 (12pm – 6pm)
www.sadlerswells.com