Poet-O-Type
drama
Directed by Mahlatsi MOKGONYANA | Performed by Billy LANGA and Trevor LYNCH | Written by J Bobs TSHABALALA | Movement Direction by Ernest Ginger BALENI | Music by Kozo ZWANE | Produced by THEATRE DUO AND CO
13+
Poet-O-Type follows the journey of a talented student of poetry (Grasshopper) as he contends with the varied and at times contradictory lessons of his mentor (Guru). Part ode to poets and wordsmiths, the play explores the life of artists who are trying to make a living by weaving words as they navigate the underground poetry-in-performance scene in pursuit of recognition and admiration. The play is funny, witty, full of language play, and is crafted by a team with a deep love of words.
This revival of J Bobs Tshabalala’s play, is directed by award-winning theatre maker Mahlatsi Mokgonyana, working alongside original cast member Billy Langa (Tswalo, The Life and Times of Michael K and The Herds) who reprises his role as the Guru. Alongside Langa is the prodigiously talented Naledi Theatre Award nominee Trevor Lynch (A Marry Little Christmas, Momo's Magical Adventures and Breekpunt Showmax).
The production’s other creative collaborators include Kozo Zwane, whose music and soundscapes create the world of the play, and Ernest ‘Ginger’ Baleni whose movement direction elevates the theatrical style of the work. This is a cast and creative team at the top of their game.
The dynamic two-hander sizzles with energy and an inviting playfulness as the two actors spar with words, which Tshabalala conjures with deft craft and sharpness.
Tshabalala, who was awarded the Naledi Award for Best New South African Script for Khongolose Khommanding Khommissars (KKK), has written Poet-O-Type a play that accessibly enters a heightened poetic space where words, their meanings, double-meanings, and even wholesale lack of meaning become the silver thread. The relatable dialogue is clever and witty but never indulgent. This dynamic makes the production appealing to a wide audience, as well as being the perfect production for school-learners grappling with figures of speech in poetic language. This is a play that will engage an audience in an entertaining way, while nurturing an understanding of language and poetry.
Photos by Zivanai Matangi