Theatre Arts • Methodist Church Hall • Cnr Milton Road and Wesley Street • Observatory • 7925 • Cape Town

The Bells of Amersfoort

drama
Written by Zakes MDA | Directed and Designed by Dintshitile MASHILE | Lighting Design by Motlotlo MAKHOBOTHLOANE | Sound Design by Dintshitile MASHILE | Stage Managed by Frans ZUNGUZE | Performed by Abongile NTSHUCA, Buntu CEZA, Ydalie TURK, Thulani NZONZO and Aidan SCOTT Presented in arrangement with DALRO (Pty) Limited - www.dalro.co.za
16+ Strong Language

Written in 2002, a few short years after independence, the Bells of Amersfoort is a prophetic one act magical realism play that looks at the life of a black, South African female exile, Tami Walaza through a passage of time. The piece seeks to rehabilitate the Afrikaner in the imagination of South Africa. An Afrikaner man who was the oppressor and the torturer in the Old South Africa becomes the key element in the development of the country with certain implications for nation-building. While on exile (in Amersfoort, Netherlands) Tami’s attention and eventual affections are set on this very man while she realises that the comrade she was going to marry in the old SA is now a profoundly corrupt powermonger in the new republic. Together this black woman and the Afrikaner man go back home to ‘heal the land’.

We may not have all the answers to amend the socio-political strife we find ourselves in but we artists do have the ability, responsibility and will to reflect on such narratives in remembrance of those whose shoulders we stand upon who anchor social change. To illustrate these stories to the masses in magical ways: the grain of salt taken with the reality we endure. – Dintshitile Mashile 

DIRECTOR


Dintshitile Mashile, 2022 recipient of The Theatre Arts Admin Emerging Director Bursary award, is a graduate of The Market Theatre Laboratory, The University of Johannesburg & The Sibikwa Arts Centre Saturday Arts Academy (SAA). She has since worked as a producer, actor, creative arts facilitator and director alongside the likes of Jefferson Tshabalala, Roberto Pombo & Wynne Bredenkamp 

She has directed & facilitated students in multiple devised plays and original peices. She is currently a facilitator in voice technique, acting and poetry performance. Dintshitile is a former member of The Kwasha Theatre Company 2020 where she performed in Naledi Award Winning Peeling Shadows, a live show she performed on stage during Covid-19 alongside fellow Kwasha members. Dintshitile then directed the Audio Theatre Experience titled The Empire Builders in partnership with IFAS (Institut Francais - South Africa). She recently participated in the Atlantic Centre for The Arts ( ACA Miami, Florida)  three week residency, mentored by Carmelita Tropicana where she was one of six selected artistic residents. Dintshitile is a combination of both a playful and ethical performing artist who likes to create, examine & illustrate thought provoking issues to the masses. 

LIGHTING DESIGNER 



Motlotlo ”Mac” Makhobotloane is an Entertainment Technologist who is a sound and lighting product specialist and administrator.  His expertise leverages relationships with national and international clients with a sound background in performing arts technology. Motlotlo studied Performing Arts Technology at the Tshwane University of Technology where he obtained his Baccalaureus Technologiae: Performing Arts Technology – Theatre Lighting. After graduating, Motlotlo designed lights for Slindile Mthembu’s “Milked Voice”, “Igama?”, Leanetse Seekoe’s “4 Cups – 1 Tablespoon” and Mcebi Bhayi’s “Iqhawe Elignaphakati”. Motlotlo’s work experience includes having worked at “Prosound” as Lighting Technical support from 2015 to 2018 and at “Electrosonic SA” as Technical Sales Administrator from 2018 to 2021. Motlotlo currently works at DWR Distribution as Sales Executive.   

PERFORMERS


Abongile Ntshuca is a Steve Biko Performance trainee who grew up on the streets of Langa Township. She has performed in in different theatres in South Africa and participated in different music and drama festivals. As a performer, she has worked with Lindiwe Ndlovu Pajuju of Uzalo, Thamie Ngoma, Mamthobi of Rhythm City, Ntsika Ngxaka of The Soil and theatre-maker and poet Napo Masheane. 'There is nothing I know except for Arts... Perfoming Arts.  I am blessed to work in a field that feeds my soul.  I was born with entertainment and storytelling' - Abongile.


Aidan Scott is an actor from Cape Town who studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Cape Town in 2016. During his third year he was cast in his first professional production of The Mousetrap, which toured South Africa and New Zealand in 2019. Aidan has since worked in both the film and theatre industry of South Africa and has most recently completed 9 months of filming on the Netflix series One Piece. He has just returned home from a successful Edinburgh run of the play Don’t Make Tea by Scotlands leading Disabled theatre company Birds of Paradise.


Ydalie Hikmat Turk is an actor, and writer from Johannesburg South Africa. She has BFA in performance and playwriting from the New York Film Academy. She spent the last four years in Los Angeles where she received best actress at the Los Angeles short film festival for her role in Saving Grace. Currently, she resides in Cape Town where she continues to work on stage and screen.


Buntu Ceza is an alumini of The Market Theatre Laboratory where he studied after graduating from Rainbow Academy School in 2020. At The Lab he worked with several reputable theatre makers including Mongiwekhaya in the production SKULLKANDY and Billy Langa in the production BRAINSTORMED.  He also performed in the Market Theatre's Theatre Think Tank and worked along-side Sibusiso Shozi in a tribute piece to the legendary Cicili Tyson, produced by New York’s Cross Roads Theatre. 


From a young age, Thulani Nzonzo has been enamoured with performance and creation. Born and bred in Zimbabwe, he performed, as an amateur, in a number of local film and theatre and productions, working with such organisations as the British Council, The Harare International Festival of the Arts, The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and UNICEF. After furthering his studies at AFDA Cape Town, he graduated on the Dean's List, with a BA in Live Performance and the award for Best Undergraduate Performance in Film. He went on to be nominated as the Most Promising Student, at the 56th Fleur Du Cap Theatre Awards.Thulani has made several local televison appearances. He made his professional theatre debut at the 2021 National Arts Festival, headlining Clare Stopford's 'Covid Moons' and appeared as major antagonist Sijuwola Adebisi on the second season of BBC One's Noughts and Crosses. He is also set to appear in the third season of the SAFTA winning Showmax Comedy, Tali's Joburg Diaries and an upcoming Netflix Original series, African Queens: Njinga".