Masiphumelele Ontogeny

Masiphumelele Ontogeny is an evocative, community centred stage play that combines art and science to tell the story of a South African community’s resilience.

Through poetry, photography, physical theatre, and live storytelling, this production reveals two decades of growth, struggle, and unity within Masiphumelele, a township marked by both hardship and hope. Inspired by the Ukukhanya Arts Project and the photographs of scientist and artist Clive Gray, the play follows the lives of young people who have been documented in photos every few years since 2004, capturing their dreams and realities as they grow. This production invites audiences to witness and feel the weight of their journeys.