The Vhembe Community Theatre Festival, held last Friday (10 January) at Vleifontein Community Hall, demonstrated that community theatre is still alive and continues to foster social cohesion while keeping the youth away from destructive influences such as crime, loitering, and substance abuse.
The festival, jointly organised by Murongwe Enrichment Projects and the National Arts Council of South Africa, brought Vleifontein and surrounding villages to a standstill as residents packed the hall to watch young theatre enthusiasts showcase their talent.
Community theatre groups from villages such as Bunzhe, Tshikuwi, Khubvi, and the hosts, Vleifontein, presented entertaining stage productions that had the audience in stitches and crying for more. The stage dramas focused on themes of daily life, such as poverty, crime, and domestic abuse.
One of the organisers of the festival is renowned community development activist Nndoweni Malala. "The Vhembe Community Theatre Festival is a platform aimed at unearthing fresh performing-arts talent. This event lays bare the artistic talent that we have in the Vhembe region. We cannot let our youth waste away while they have so much talent that can be nurtured," he said.
Malala added that the festival was the culmination of a rigorous fieldwork programme, in which participating groups honed their craft under the supervision of experienced theatre practitioners. He expressed gratitude to Teles Driving School, Thukhutha Entertainment, and Ndima Visual Arts NPC for their valuable support towards the festival's success.
Musiiwa Makumbi, leader of the Narrowgate Theatre Group from Vleifontein, hailed the initiative as a great experience. "It has been an awesome experience. Besides the opportunity to showcase our creative talents, we also cherish the opportunity to share skills and knowledge among ourselves as community theatre practitioners. With platforms such as this, there is no doubt that community theatre in Vhembe will thrive."
Community theatre veteran Elmond Mandule also beamed with pride while watching the next generation take over the baton from him. "The future is bright. These youngsters will take community theatre to another level. We need to keep mentoring them," said the visibly impressed theatre doyen.