Veil is set in the Port Elizabeth township of New Brighton and tells the bitter sweet love story of Somalian shop owner Ali and Nosipho.
Ali is a refugee who fled his war torn country and is now striving to start a new life in South Africa, while Nosipho a young Xhosa girl who assists him in his spaza (tuckshop) shop and teaches him the ways of his new country.
These two beautiful souls inevitable fall in love. However all is not plain sailing with their relationship and they have to deal with the disapproval of society, xenophobia, rejection and hate on all fronts with no one and nowhere to turn to. Tension mounts until the story comes to a shocking conclusion.
The production is carried through an intense and quick dialogue while being underscored by vocals, acoustic guitar and shakers to create the necessary mood.
Veil is written and Directed by Zwai Mgijima starring Anele Penny, Zinathi Ngcwangu, Ludwe Mgolombane & Xolani Mali.
About The Producer
Mzwanele ‘Zwai’ Mgijima Mgijima a theatre practitioner began his career from 1990 under the guidance of the acclaimed actor Winston Ntshona. In 1995 Zwai acted in Waiting for Godot, in the same year Zwai travelled to Edinburgh in Scotland with the play called Ubuntu which won the best group. During the Salters Cup Festival in Port Elizabeth he won ‘Most promising Director’ and later went on to work for CAPAB as an actor in Shakespearean plays for High Schools in and around Port Elizabeth. His acting career continued with the Win Win Group also as a Creative Writer and Assistant Director in Industrial Theatre in Johannesburg. From there Zwai worked for the Western District Council as a Development Officer until horrific car accident left him incapacitated in 1997. After a long recovery, Zwai returned to Johannesburg in 2000 to continue to work in Industrial Theatre. Having gained back his confidence and with creativity pouring from hi, Zwai began writing and directing ‘Ghetto Goats’ that was premiered in London’s Young Vic in 2002 and toured England with the production and running workshops in universities and theatre schools. Also in 2002 Zwai became an ambassador for Coega during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. In 2004 he went to work at the national radio station Umhlobo Wene translating scripts for Takalane Sesame. In 2005 he dusted ff Ghetto Goats and staged it at the Baxter Theatre’s Ikhwezi Theatre Festival. In 2007 Zwai wrote and co wrote enthralling theatre productions such Hungry Road, It’s Not Me, Truck Driver, Veil & Stokes of Society which have graced critically acclaimed South African stages. Zwai has won numerous awards for the best script, best director of ‘It’s Not Me’ for One Act Drama Festival at the PE Opera House.
Did We Dance -the sinking of the Mendi- was performed at the Baxter Theatre Centre this year of which I researched and assisted directing it. Zwai recently won the Audience winner in Pansa’s regional staged reading in Johannesburg.
Show Dates: 24 May – 26 May 2017
Venue: The Barn Theatre, PE Opera House
Times: 24 May and 25 May – 19:00; 26 May – 14:00 and 19:00
Admission: R50.00 (Students and Pensioners are R20.00)
Alan Straton
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