Behind Closed Doors: The Last Supper(s) and The Fogo in Mecrura Maison
theatre
Written and Directed by Seth Cloete (University of Cape Town) and created by final year students from Stellenbosch University
The Young Professionals series provides a platform for graduating students to share their graduating work with the wider public, whilst allowing the work to introduce them to the industry. For many, graduating work is the culmination of years of study and as such should be given the space and time to develop and grow into work that enables young professionals to begin working as artists and earning a living.
For the first time The Young Professionals, now in its third year, is being presented as a series throughout the year creating opportunity for graduating students from different universities to work with each other.
THE LAST SUPPER(S)
M: I'm just going to ask. Is this your mother's idea?
G: You're unbelievable. / No, I am not divorcing you because “mommy said so."
The Last Supper(s) centres around the lives of an interracial couple, George and Mathaba Campbell, whose relationship mirrors a high-stakes chess game— each move categorised by their history, strategy, and the risk of irreversible consequences.
After preparing a romantic dinner in their family home, reminiscent of a modern-day Last Supper, Mathaba is shocked to learn that George, like Judas at the fateful table, is about to betray her trust by announcing that he wants a divorce.
Stuck in an unusual mental circumstance, Mathaba must grapple with how she has been both the Queen on the chessboard, holding everything together, and the pawn, often forced to make sacrifices for the sake of their union.
Written and Directed by Seth CLOETE | Performed by Mfuneli NTUMBUKA & Christopher HAWKER-JEHRING | Stage Managed by Matthias CALITZ
ARTIST BIOS
Director Seth Cloete (25) is a writer, director, performer, and stage manager based in Cape Town. He holds a Distinction in the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre & Performance and a Distinction in Performance Making from UCT. In 2025, he was nominated for the prestigious Fleur Du Cap Award for Most Promising Student. He worked on William Shakespeare’s The Tempest at MaynardvilleOpen-Air Theatre and Lee-Ann van Rooi’s Compoun at Suidoosterfees.
Mfuneli Ntumbuka is an actress and writer with a BA in Theatre and Performance (specializing in Acting) from the University of Cape Town. Trained in movement, physical theatre, heightened text drama, and devising, she brings a dynamic presence to the stage. A skilled and multilingual artist fluent in isiXhosa and English, and conversational Afrikaans, Mfuneli engages with storytelling that bridges cultures and challenges conventional theatre forms. In 2025, she was recognized as a Fleur Du Cap Nominee for Most Promising Student, marking them as an emerging force in South African theatre.
Christopher Hawker-Jehring is an aspiring stage, screen, and voice actor with a passion for storytelling and bringing scripts to life. A recent graduate of the University of Cape Town, he has honed his craft in voice work, devising, movement, text analysis, character-work and more, to bring depth and versatility to every role. Whether Chris is in front of the camera, on the stage or behind the microphone, he is dedicated to creating compelling and authentic performances that continue to captivate the audience.
Stage Manager Matthias Calitz (23) is a queer performance maker, director, and technical crew member. He enjoys creating abstract and surrealist work that detaches itself from the notions of realism. His work usually deals with subject matters of mental health issues and unpacks human psychology and thought processes through creative performance mediums devoid of text. In addition to enjoying the creation aspect of performance, he also loves organisation and management and therefore thrives in a stage management position and technical assistance as a crew member. He loves the design aspect of performance ranging from set and costume to lighting and sound. In the creative process, he thrives off of bouncing ideas between collaborators and creating work from multiple perspectives as a collective. He adapts to new environments easily and is goal-oriented, aiding in reaching success in working environments.
THE FOGO IN MECRURA MAISON
Fogo is an 18th century English word meaning an overpowering and unpleasant stench. Mecrura Maison is the peculiar apartment building Olin calls home. Desperately trying to impress their parents, who are the owners of the building, Olin uses their charisma to attract more tenants to the building. However, Lynn, Mr Metropolis’s caretaker, has their own ulterior motive to escape the pit of hell he finds himself engulfed in. This is where a liberal, modern couple Eden and Cedar come into play. Just like in hell these new tenants find themselves shackled in the torturous nightmare of a living environment. While Naval, Mecrura Maison’s friendly garbage man, is still at large. Tensions are high, ambitions run wild, and secrets are revealed. Thank you kindly, Prudence, wherever you are now.
Written by Shannon HENDRY and Kristen FICHARDT | Costumes by Sonja LOUW and Nicola JOUBERT | Set Design by Nicola JOUBERT and Matthew DRAGNER | Stage managed by Clarice SCHOONWINKEL | Performed by Kristen FICHARDT, Shannon HENDRY, Shaneeq MENNIERS, Matthew DRAGNER, Nicola JOUBERT, Sonja LOUW and Kyle TRUTER
The Fogo in Mecrura Maison was a workshop production. The process involved developing a stable ensemble, so that we as a collective could unpack difficult subject matters. The workshop process made this an intimate production where we look at a variety of moral dilemmas and perspectives. Before the creation of the script, we facilitated multiple sessions exploring moral dilemmas that we shared amongst our group. The focus and aim of creating this production were to create content that was relevant to our current day situation.
We created our own layered world in which we used our own country as inspiration. Indirectly we speak of a dysfunctional establishment that is corrupt in its own way. We believe that this production is a unique take on where we stand as citizens in our country. The workshop process allowed us to create a new style and find interesting and fresh ways to use language. The production creates an environment that is true to how we as South Africans experience the variety of language in our country.
ARTIST BIOS
Kyle Truter is a dedicated actor based in Cape Town, currently working as a Freelance Actor. With a background in Drama and Theatre Studies, he has developed expertise in Camera Acting, Theatre Makeup, Voice work and Physical Theatre. During his studies at Stellenbosch University he was acknowledged as a member in Best Ensemble Award for Première 2023, showcasing a commitment to excellence in performing.
Shaneeq Menniers is a 23 year old graduate from Stellenbosch University with a BA Drama and Theatre Studies..