Former ‘Isidingo' actress on how Sri Lanka beats a similar drum to Africa

The Citizen

5 days ago

Jessica Haines, who now lives in Sri Lanka, is returning to South Africa to debut her play at the Hilton Arts Festival in KwaZulu-Natal.
Actress Jessica Haines is bringing her play to this year's Hilton Arts Festival. Picture: Supplied
Former Isidingo and Home Affairs actress Jessica Haines, who now lives in Sri Lanka, is returning to South Africa to debut her play at the Hilton Arts Festival in KwaZulu-Natal.
'Sri Lanka has been a creative renaissance for me,' Haines says.
Haines has been living in the Asian country with her family for several years. She is coming back home to debut her play, Once Upon a Teacup, at the Hilton Arts Festival.
Established in 1993, the festival is annually held on the Hilton College campus each year in August and runs for four days.
Sue Clarence and Geoff Thompson founded the Hilton Arts Festival while they were attending the National Arts Festival in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown).
Co-founder and organiser of the festival, Thompson died last year, with his memorial service held just a few weeks before last year's edition.
This year's edition will be held from 8 August to 10.
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Haines on Sri Lankan stories
Haines said Sri Lanka's capital city Colombo has a cultural edge and charge that she finds inspiring.
'It beats a similar drum to Africa – the stories are extracted from the natural world, the heat, the moon, the sea, the seasons, bejewelled elephants, big bats, the monitor lizards, the beautiful butterflies and the intoxicating colour,' she said.
'Their stories are ancient, spiritual and rather scary. They tell elaborate tales, using masks, exaggerated gesture and exquisite costumes to enrapture, terrify and mystify their audience.'
Last year Haines returned to the stage with Once Upon a Teacup, a story that she wrote while studying shadow theatre under Norbet Gotz and the Theatre Der Schatten in Bamberg, Germany.
'Once Upon a Teacup begins on a farm in KZN and I hope audiences will recognise the many character archetypes that I bring to life,' she shared.
The play is directed by South African James Cuningham.
'The production explores the journey of a young girl named Violet who grows up in Africa. The play explores the notion and power of imagination and the toll it takes under pop culture constructs, social media and the inevitable pressure of growing up.
'Violet's mental health is compromised and she soon finds herself in a dark and unpredictable place, only to be rescued by the concept of home and the memories of her childhood.'
Once Upon a Teacup made its debut earlier this year in Sri Lanka.
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Bringing the play home
Haines, who grew up in KZN, says she hopes the story reawakens the inner child in everyone who watches it.
'Once Upon a Teacup begins on a farm in KZN and I hope audiences will recognise the many character archetypes that I bring to life.
'I'm hoping that the story reawakens the child in everyone, the lost ability to play, create and fully invest in the colourful and crazy world of our imagination, which is so often diluted by the pressure and fast pulse of adulthood. My job as an actor is to step inside and dismantle the human condition.'
Haines has a strong connection to Hilton College.
'My grandparents were teachers at the school, my father and all his brothers went there, my brother, my husband Richard Walker, all his brothers, my father-in-law and my nephew all attended Hilton so I will feel very much at home at the festival,' she shared.
The play will be performed on 9 and 10 August.
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