'Sophiatown' returns in glory at the South African State Theatre

IOL News

12-05-2025

Running from 5 to 21 May 2025 at the South African State Theatre, Sophiatown — a South African musical-drama classic — continues to attract school learners, theatre lovers, and first-time attendees alike, drawing them into a world where jazz, struggle, and community memory collide with haunting familiarity.
Image: Bongani Nicholas Ngomane
In an electric return to the Opera Theatre stage, Sophiatown — a South African musical-drama classic — has entered its fifth season with thunderous applause and renewed urgency.
The play, first penned by the Junction Avenue Theatre Company and Malcolm Purkey, and now powerfully directed by the award-winning Aubrey Sekhabi, opened this week to full houses, standing ovations, and a resounding message: memory is not just nostalgia — it is resistance.
Running from 5 to 21 May 2025 at the South African State Theatre, the production continues to attract school learners, theatre lovers, and first-time attendees alike, drawing them into a world where jazz, struggle, and community memory collide with haunting familiarity.
Set in the 1950s in a Johannesburg neighbourhood teeming with creativity and cultural fusion, Sophiatown tells the story of a group of politically engaged black South Africans who, in a courageous act of resistance, welcome a white Jewish woman named Ruth Golden into their shared home.
The play unfolds with wit, satire, music, and poignancy, capturing the essence of a community on the brink of erasure — torn apart by apartheid, yet fiercely determined to live, love, and resist. More than a setting, Sophiatown — fondly known as Kofifi — is the soul of the performance, pulsing through every note, every monologue, every moment of silence.
At the helm of this deeply South African narrative is director Aubrey Sekhabi, Artistic Director of the South African State Theatre, who has remained devoted to the original script while infusing the work with refreshing musical and visual elements.
'This is a South African classic. We must not shy away from doing our classics again and again,' Sekhabi reflects.
'Artistically, the production has already succeeded. It's a fully-fledged musical now, and socially, it contributes massively to education across the country.'
Under his direction, a formidable cast brings the spirit of Sophiatown to life. Sandi Dlangalala gives a charismatic and thoughtful performance as Jakes, the narrator and journalist.
Gaby Georgeson portrays Ruth Golden with heart and grace, embodying the idealism and vulnerability of someone crossing boundaries with curiosity and courage.
Sindisile 'Nyoni Lenhle' Nkuna breathes fire into Mamariti, the strong matriarchal figure whose love is as fierce as her wisdom. Terrence Ngwila's portrayal of Mingus commands attention—his stillness and intensity drawing laughter and tears in equal measure.
Bringing playful energy and comic timing to the role of Fahfee is Tshallo Chokwe, while Mncedisi Hadebe silently stirs the audience as Charlie, his presence ever watchful and evocative.
Directed by award-winning Artistic Director Aubrey Sekhabi, the production — created by the Junction Avenue Theatre Company and Malcolm Purkey — has opened to full houses, roaring applause, and deep emotional resonance.
Image: Bongani Nicholas Ngomane
Nompumelelo Admirer Mahlangu's Lulu is full of youthful spark, and Princess Sechele, playing Princess, dazzles with flair and authority. Her offstage leadership, too, is unmistakable, serving as an Associate Producer at SAST TV and a celebrated figure in the theatre's broader creative ecosystem. Live music wraps around the performance like a second narrative.
Oupa 'Poy Poy' Makhubela on guitar, Khutso 'Shalom G' Nkwana on saxophone, and Suprise Mshwana on drums form a seamless ensemble that transports the audience straight to the smoky shebeens and jiving streets of 1950s Johannesburg. The musicality, directed by Zakhele Mabena, is not mere accompaniment — it is storytelling through sound.
From the moment audiences enter the theatre, they are welcomed into a space that feels alive with memory. Banners declaring 'We Won't Move' and 'Hands Off Sophiatown' frame a set dressed in period-perfect detail — a vintage typewriter, coal stove, zinc basin, and layered rostra's conjure a home full of history and resistance.
Set designer Lungile Cindi has crafted a world that breathes, while Mandla Mtshali's lighting and Lesego Moripe's exquisite costumes paint a visual language as rich and textured as the script itself.
The choreographic direction by Bafikile Sedibe animates the stage with movement that is both rooted in historical rhythm and vibrant with contemporary energy.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
The response from audiences has been overwhelming. Princess Sechele notes that 'the audiences are engaged, they laugh, they cry, they sing—they see themselves in the characters.' Nkuna adds, 'It still feels like the first season.
Every time I step into Mamariti's shoes, I am reminded of how powerful our stories are.' Learners, especially those encountering the story as part of the Grade 11 curriculum, have filled the theatre's seats, often leaving no space unoccupied. The show's consistency in drawing in schools is also a testament to its financial sustainability and cultural relevance.
At its core, Sophiatown still matters because it still mirrors the truths of South Africa today. The themes of racial displacement, economic struggle, community tension, and love across boundaries remain deeply relevant.
'We've stayed loyal to the script. No ad-libs, no additions,' Sekhabi insists. 'That discipline has made the storytelling even stronger.' Gaby Georgeson echoes this sense of purpose: 'Ruth is fearless. She reminds us to go beyond our comfort zones, to listen, to understand.'
There is a shared longing among the cast to take Sophiatown beyond Pretoria. 'We'd love to tour it,' says Sechele with a grin. 'This cast is family. Touring would be a dream.'
The production continues to be supported by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and the Department of Basic Education, whose investment ensures that this living archive of South African resistance continues to inspire new generations.
Guitarist Oupa Makhubela offers a simple yet moving invitation: 'Come for the music. Stay for the message.' And truly, what a message it is — one of memory, of defiance, of love, and of what it means to be home.