James Ngcobo pioneers a Brics cultural exchange in Moscow
The esteemed director says language barriers were not an issue.
He becomes the first African director in a Brics initiative to give cultural exchanges theatrical form.
Egypt, China, Argentina and other countries are on board as more ventures are in the pipeline.
Early this month, veteran actor and Joburg Theatre's artistic director, James Ngcobo, directed Russian actors at the Theatre of Nations in Moscow, in an initiative by the Brics nations to elevate artistic bilaterals to creative platforms other than traditional dialogue.
Ngcobo's co-director was Chinese, when the latter directed Russian actors in the Swedish classic, Miss Julie, making this a rich, multicultural affair. When nations of the world convene, it is commonly done in conferences or symposiums. Ngcobo says there's a need for the Brics block of nations to shape new cultural exchanges.
Written in the 1880s, playwright August Strindberg's timeless masterpiece has been performed in theatres across the world. Ngcobo found himself on the Russian theatre's radar, bringing in the SA director to bring these cultural exchanges to life.
"You know the way that I am. I'm always placing a veil over people, idealizing them. So I never see who they really are. I did that with her - Miss Julie - and was bound to be disappointed." --John
Liv Ullmann's MISS JULIE
(by August Strindberg)
2014 pic.twitter.com/OujYYdqn0V
— Dominique Revue (@DominiqueRevue) November 19, 2019
When given the artistic freedom to choose his play, the director said he felt that this classic love story with its political elements had a distinct universality.
This ensured that he and his cast aligned much quicker.
Argentina, Egypt and China are among the countries seemingly in agreement with the sentiment that while trade discussions are critical, there is still room to incorporate other aspects.
Asked to dissect the value of taking these exchanges out of conference rooms and give them an artistic form, Ngcobo said: 'Maybe they [the Russians] also thought that we talk too much and they were not interested in talking. They were interested in moving the concept forward and you do this by finding someone from a different country.'
Supplied
Ngcobo and his Chinese counterpart were the first directors to propel this initiative forward and the former is the first African director to take on this challenge.
Taking this as an opportunity to remind the global market that African directors are global citizens, Ngcobo said he was intentional about not selecting a piece from SA.
It's important for people to understand that we're not just African directors, we are directors in a universal space. You've seen my trajectory as a director. I've been very conscious about directing works from all over the world. I choose plays in such a way that I don't present as one-dimensional.
James Ngcobo
This cannot be disputed, as Ngcobo has staged multiple internationally acclaimed plays, showcasing his uncanny ability to make them relatable to his local audience while retaining their original essence.
Among these is American poet and playwright Ntozake Shange's (whose given name is Paulette Williams) For Colored Girls, and Oleanna by internationally celebrated author and Tony award-nominated playwright, David Mamet.
If you had to choose a cast member from For Colored Girls based on your favourite colour, which colour would you pick?🙈😍 #ForColoredGirlsSA #ForColorFavourite pic.twitter.com/lkXXwmNicG
— Joburg Theatre (@joburgtheatre) January 13, 2024
While Miss Julie was only staged this month, the casting was done last year. Ngcobo said working with a translator in a different country was a new experience for him.
However, the language and cultural barriers were not an issue because there are South African languages that he doesn't speak and would therefore also require a translator if he were to stage work in those languages.
'I looked at Russian as a mere language because I know the play very well and by the third week, I was not even looking at the English script,' he recalled.
My set designer couldn't speak a word of English, but we worked like a dream. You then realise that we always create hurdles for ourselves that are based on language. Language can't be a hurdle. For me, this experience proved that theatre is not about a language. It's a human condition, it's about emotions and, this is what I was directing.
James Ngcobo
More exchanges are in the pipeline as the Brics nations are determined to explore and develop this initiative. Ngcobo said he felt honoured to create this bridge.
Playwright Palesa Mazamisa, who is also cementing herself as a global director, steered the ship in this year's production of Patrice Lumumba's life story in the play Katanga at the Market Theatre. Mazamisa will be jetting off to Saint Petersburg in Russia soon.
Her award-winning play, Shoes and Coups, has been translated into Russian and Mazamisa will be directing a reading of it.
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