FACILITATING INTERGENERATIONAL THEATRE:

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Narration and experiences by Gcebile Dlamini

Compiled and written by Chantal Meugens

Edited with additional contributions by Tamara Schulz and Gerard Bester

Layout by Mbaliyekhethelo Kumalo of Chosen Flower Collections (PTY) Ltd

Photographs by BigBoy Ndlovu, Gerard Bester, Mark Straw and Erica Luttich

The memory of Harry Card, Henry Nkosi, Joseph Tshabalala, Humphrey Mbele, Andrina Xaba (Residents of Tswelopelo Frail Care Centre) who have been part of the project over the last five years.

To the late Thandi Masilo whose story was told by her daughter, Tisetso Masilo, in young@home (2017).

Also, to all who have been part of the journey for the 5 years of the inter-generational project.

CREDITS

WE DEDICATE THIS HANDBOOK TO

¨

CONTENTS

BACKGROUND

WHY DO INTERGENERATIONAL WORK?

SKILLS AND QUALITIES OF THE INTER-GENERATIONAL FACILITATOR

THE PROCESS

NOTES FOR A FACILITATOR

Partner organisations:

Benefits

Challenges, concerns and considerations

Devising

Trust

Honesty

Play

Holding space

The Initiation Phase:

Transforming Phase:

Crafting the performance

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Building relationshipCreating safe spaceEstablishing a way of workingGames

Shaping the materialEditing and refining

NarrativeMovementImagesRituals, games, musicWarm-ups

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12

17

34

55

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“For me it was extraordinary because by working with grandmothers and

grandfathers I received knowledge I wouldn’t have gotten before... listening to their personal stories has been quite

comforting and enlightening.”

- Cast member

41

BACKGROUND

In 2016, more than 30 school-going

children joined up with five elderly

people from the Tswelopele Frail

Care Centre to start rehearsals

under the guidance of Gcebile

Dlamini and Mike Mkhwanazi. These

young people, already part of the

Outreach Foundation Hillbrow

Theatre Project after-school

programme, had been working with

the energetic practices of theatre,

poetry and dance for some time.

The after-school classes gave them

a space to connect with friends,

hone their skills and find creative

expression at the end of a school

day. Meeting and working with the

elders from the frail care centre was

the beginning of a journey towards

storytelling, play and shared

experience that blossomed into a

five-year collaboration, 4 different

theatre productions, 1 film, travel

to the country’s foremost artistic

event, the National Arts Festival,

The 19th ASSITEJ World Congress

and International Theatre Festival

for Children and Young People and

numerous other performances. The

aim of this manual is to share that

journey.

WHO IS THISMANUAL FOR?

This handbook serves two

specific purposes: to tell the story

of an intergenerational theatre

programme which took place in

Hillbrow, Johannesburg over a five-

year period, and to offer practical

guidance to practitioners and

facilitators interested in undertaking

similar work. As a handbook, it offers

a set of techniques and methods

for devising and collaborating with

young and elderly participants in

a socially engaged process. These

techniques were used by Gcebile

Dlamini, a facilitator for Outreach

Foundation’s Performing Arts

Programme, to create a series of

successful theatre productions,

between 2016 and 2020.

Rather than offering a step-by-

step manual or outlining a specific

method, we hope to underline the

importance of a particular mindset

and attitude, which defined the

approach that Gcebile took when

working with the participants and

beneficiaries of these productions.

Empathy, deep listening, an attitude

of receptivity and openness, a

creative and flexible approach -

these are some of the qualities that

mark this approach. Therefore, it is

not so much a “how-to” manual, but

a description of one way of working,

outlining a set of guiding principles

for the community practitioner or

theatre artist who already has some

experience in education, social

work, facilitating groups or devising

theatrical work.

On these pages are valuable insights

for anyone wishing to bridge the

generational gap and use creative

methods to address social ills

like disconnection and isolation.

Decision-makers, solution-holders or

grant-makers within the education or

social development sector will find

this work interesting and useful, as

will people who are responsible for

commissioning theatre productions

for festivals or programmes, and

wish to do so in an informed, ethical

way. We hope that it will inspire, and

deepen your understanding of how

to use creative process, storytelling,

play and conversation in creating

connections between generations.

Aside from being a teaching tool, the

manual also aims to acknowledge

the people who were part of a five-

year journey of experiential learning,

and to reflect on what happened

in that time. During the focused

intensity of a rehearsal or playmaking

process it is difficult to find space or

distance to reflect on or document

- what are the strategies that work,

what is too delicate or harmful to be

tackled, what were the delights and

surprises and how did they

occur? Gcebile’s attention to and

immersion in the work resulted in four

moving and spirited plays and 1 film. It

is worthwhile asking, what did she do

there, in those rehearsal spaces, with

the teenagers and older participants?

How did the stories come to be

exchanged, and then sculpted into a

production, where young, energetic

bodies shared space on stage with

bodies marked by the passage of

time? These reflections are intended

for practitioners of theatre: directors,

facilitators, Applied Theatre students

and professionals.

Without Gcebile’s commitment to

the process, the productions would

not have taken place, but there were

a number of other contributors who

shaped and supported the journey:

the Outreach Foundation, partner

organisations, funders, as well as

artistic collaborators from the creative

sector. This document is also for the

beneficiaries themselves. They shared

their stories, re-lived painful memories,

attended rehearsals and formed new

relationships in circumstances that

were often personally challenging. This

serves to celebrate their resilience,

creativity and courage.

C O NT E X T

Outreach Foundation is based in

the heart of one of the most diverse

and most densely populated areas

in Africa, Johannesburg’s suburb of

Hillbrow, South Africa. A pan-African

melting pot of cultures, where

people live side by side in high-rise

and often very poor living conditions.

The performing arts programme of

the Outreach Foundation has rooted

its work thematically, addressing

current and relevant social issues

that impact participants and

their communities. Many of the

participants live in single-family

households who have migrated to

Johannesburg mostly for economic

reasons. The elders have been

separated from their family and from

their homes to be taken care of in

a communal space. School-going

participants attend an after-school

drama and theatre programme, run

by a team of skilled facilitators. Many

of these talented young people have

gone on to have successful careers

in the professional theatre world and

in other industries.

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PARTNERORGANISATIONS:

Since 2015 the organisation has

collaborated with Tswelopele Frail

Care Centre, a nursing home and

frail care centre located in the heart

of Hillbrow. Older persons and

people with disability from different

backgrounds and circumstances are

offered 24 hour nursing care, living a

safe and dignified life.

Website: www.tfcc.co.za.

In 2018 and 2019, the Johannesburg

Society for the Blind also took part in

the theatre programme, working with

the school-going participants and

the beneficiaries from Tswelopele

together. The Johannesburg

Society for the Blind is a non-profit

organisation that caters to the

needs of blind and partially sighted

persons regardless of gender, race,

ethnicity or religious affiliation. It was

founded in 1926 to help civilians

who were blinded during World

War One, by providing them with

accommodation, employment,

rehabilitation, skills for daily living,

orientation and mobility.

Website: http://www.ngopulse.org/

organisation/johannesburg-society-

blind

HOW IT STARTED: THE STORY OF YOUNG@HOME

At the beginning of 2016, the

Hillbrow Theatre Project team sat

in their beginning-of-year meeting

to plan what production to do for

the beginning of the year. Outreach

Foundation’s Hillbrow Theatre

Project produced a production

at the beginning of the year to

celebrate and bring together all the

teenage learners who had joined the

after-school classes. One of those

learners, Benjamin Sambo, had

been repeatedly asking the theatre

team if they could go together to the

Tswelopele Frail Care centre and talk

to some of the elders who stayed

there, perhaps do some workshops

with them, or community service.

“We decided to go,” remembers

Gcebile. “I didn’t really know

anything about the place, or know

what we would do. “ After the visit,

Tswelopele Frail Care Centre agreed

to a pilot project and Gcebile and

Mike brought the two generations

together to work on the first

collaboration.

The play they eventually created

together was called young@home,

a devised work, drawing on the

participants’ experiences of and

stories about the idea of home and

cultural belief systems. Gcebile was

not prepared for the intensity of the

process, nor for its rewards.

“That first year, there were five

men and no women. We worked

inside, outside - their dining room

was very small.” The following

year, the production was revised in

partnership with C:NTACT, and new

members joined, both the creative

team and as participants. “Whereas

in the first year the cast members

had all been quite strong, this year

there were frail members, with very

different abilities. I was not ready for

this,” admits Gcebile. “I realised I had

to take this head on.. I was having to

be a bridge. And the stories! So many

memorable stories emerged

“ “

- stories that are moving, surprising,

funny, disturbing and traumatic..

Some tell their stories as fairy stories.

Some struggle to remember. for

various reasons. I had to be patient

with both the old and the young, and

they each require different kinds of

patience. What assisted me was, I

realised I am a good listener.”

Allowing the young and old to tell their stories together. How did I do that? And when the stories come out - such strong stories. Some of the older participants were angry. They wanted to go back home, or they didn’t know what home was. For the teenagers, to hear these

stories, I was worried - would they be traumatised or inspired?

- Gcebile Dlamini

EXPANDING THE COMMUNITY AND NARRATIVES

By 2018, Gcebile was convinced that

working with people whose stories

were not often heard in mainstream

theatres, was something she wanted

to continue. She extended the

collaboration to include participants

from the Johannesburg Society for

the Blind, and together they created

In My Mother’s Womb, this time

focusing on the experience of being

partially sighted.

In 2019, Gcebile’s work with the

elders from the Tswelopele centre

and the participants she had come

to fondly call ‘the young ones’

resulted in a new production called

Sounds Like You and Me, this

time making use of the power of

music to connect. The production

featured music by the African Jazz

Pioneers and collaborated with local

musicians, The Friendly Drummers.

In 2020, Gcebile, in collaboration

with the beneficiaries of Tswelopele

and the after-school “young ones’’,

created a film “In Silent Shoes We

Walk”. Jessica Denyschen facilitated

workshops of basic film skills and

trained and mentored Gcebile

through the process of making the

film.

(The full list of participants and

performances is listed at the end of

this document)

The lessons and rewards that

have come out of this intensive

process have been inspiring.

The first and most obvious

motivation that people use to

explain why intergenerational

performance is important

and necessary, is that it

creates cohesion between

the generations as they work

together on a production that

tells their stories. But there are

other, subtler benefits that are

worth listing.

“Working on the performance,

we found that both the youth

and the elders experience

disconnection with family and

home. The intergenerational

programme creates an

alternative family. It also

creates a space for both

generations to learn from

the other’s experiences and

perceptions of the world we

inhabit. The programme is about

intergenerational knowledge

sharing.” - Gcebile Dlamini.

THE BENEFITS

With Gcebile’s work, the

teenagers at Outreach

Foundation are beginning to

understand themselves and

their bodies. The older persons

at Tswelopele Frail Care Centre

have the knowledge, history,

memories, and stories locked in

their bodies and minds. Through

the process, both generations

get the opportunity to find out

more about themselves, and the

others and the stories that lie

within. In doing so they begin to

feel less isolated.

EMPATHY

The older persons find joy in

transferring knowledge to the

young, and they also learn

from them. In turn, the youth

gain historical knowledge and

a heightened understanding

of other age groups and

disabilities. For example, while

working with the residents of

the Johannesburg Society for

the Blind, Gcebile asked them

to tell everyone about living

with visual impairment.

“We needed to understand

what it is to be visually impaired.

They shared and taught us

how to engage and assist with

sensitivity and care. They shared

their stories which gave us a

new insight and understanding

of how people who live

with different forms of visual

impairment engage the world

around them. They

told us they are human and

that we are not to treat them

differently or like they need

help. They said the only help

they need is for people to

tell them about the spaces

they go in. They are not to be

treated as if they are sick as

they aren’t sick. The teenagers

and I had a lot to learn about

working with other generations

and disabilities. It made us

aware and taught us how to

engage and assist other’s

needs and what behaviour or

communication is acceptable or

not in different situations.”

Memory and the transfer

of knowledge are essential.

Intergenerational work plays

an important role in doing just

that. It breaks the silos between

the generations. It reduces the

fears both the older persons

and teenagers may have of one

another, which prevents age

segregation.

15

SOCIAL BONDS AND FRIENDSHIPS

Participants learn from one

another through the stories

shared, they form friendships

they would never have had

before, especially with a

different generation. They grow,

and often heal through the

experiences.

PARTICIPANTS GAIN DEEP INSIGHTS INTO THEIR LIVES

If the processes are repeated

for more than one year, as it was

for Gcebile’s intergenerational

work, participants have the

opportunity to deepen the

work on their stories and to

develop their performance

and collaborative skills. Their

stories become richer and more

detailed. They become more

analytical and focused. They

start looking at themselves and

their stories more deeply. They

started to believe in the power

of their own stories.

CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND COLLABORATION

During the rehearsal process,

participants get to develop

monologues and scenes;

experience working with various

age groups and abilities and

work with choreographers,

writers and photographers. Just

as it takes a village to bring up

a child, so with performances, it

takes a team to produce a show.

The cast develops a deeper

understanding of how the

theatre works - the narratives,

performance and levels of

commitment required.

PARTICIPANTS BECOME MORE AWARE OF THEIR ENVIRONMENTS

Participants have to research as

the process requires that they

read articles, interview family

members, friends and others,

go to different sources such

as social media, and various

news channels to build on the

stories or find out more. In one

production, Letters to you and

Me, the cast became motivated

to learn more. The cast was

encouraged to focus on, and

listen to the sounds, smells and

sights around them wherever

they were. This helped them

notice things that they took for

granted. It helped them connect

with their environments and

made them better performers,

theatre-makers and artists..

Once they have come up with stories, participants might choose

to research further and find out more about themselves. This gives

them space to have conversations they wouldn’t normally have with

relatives. The teenagers have the opportunity to engage parents and

family members but the residents of the frail care centre do not always

have this connection to family. At times the social worker would help

the process by referring to family records. It can be powerful for the

whole family to witness their child telling their story and honouring a

family history. Over time, these conversations continued to deepen.

The participants become part of the work, not only in performing

the show, but in creating the actual story. They work together to

choose the stories that will be performed. This is empowering in

many different ways

THE EFFECT ON FAMILIES

AN INCREASED SENSE OF AGENCY

There are often unexpected benefits that occur. One such example

is that of one of the older persons Gcebile had in her cast. She in

later life became hearing impaired and then struggled with speech

articulation. She would lip-read and the teenagers would write

the discussions down for her to read. Through the actions and

processes over the years, working on the various productions, she

was able to communicate her story with confidence and conviction.

During the years the intergenerational work took place, the

productions were performed in several different places and theatres.

The cast also visited various other theatres to watch and learn. For

many of the older adults, never mind the teenagers, it was the first

time they had ever been in a theatre watching a production. Group

bonding experiences such as trips to the beach in a new place,

also strengthen the relationships between the group members.

Some of the older persons have forgotten or have been

unable to ‘play’ and have been stuck in a rut of routine.

The intergenerational work gets them to move, sing, dance

and play. It breaks their routines and energises them.

FO

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It is incredibly rewarding to

work with an intergenerational

crew and to witness the

cohesion which begins to occur.

This cohesion is not easily

won, however, and there are

challenges that go hand-in-

hand with the benefits. Some of

them are listed here, along with

other considerations that the

facilitator would need to take

into account.

CHALLENGES, CONCERNS AND CONSIDERATIONS

The facilitator’s role is to help

the group work together,

understand what’s common

between the groups and the

objectives, and plan how to

achieve these objectives. He

or she needs to remain neutral

and be inside the work to find

common ground and build a

team and story that will ensure a

successful final production.

WORKING WITH MEMORY AND FINDING COMMON GROUND

WORKING WITH A TEAM

It is highly advisable to include

professionals who are skilled in

working with the beneficiaries.

We were very fortunate to have

one of the social workers from

Tswelopele Frail Care Centre,

Innocentia Khoza, who attended

rehearsals and stayed with

the project for five years. This

proved vital in ensuring the care

and safety of the beneficiaries of

the frail care centre.

SURPRISES AND UNINTENDED BENEFITS

BROADENED HORIZONS, OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAVEL

RENEWED ENERGIES

The act of storytelling itself is not always easy. When the participants

start unpacking their stories and digging to find out more, they

might discover that their families feel uncomfortable and resist

dealing with past traumas or histories. The process sparks memories

about their past, which for the older persons can bring a mixture of

emotions. It is important to have a support network, including a

qualified therapist or counsellor to provide assistance where needed.

We are all individuals that are

shaped by our environments and

settings. Those environments and

settings inspire us and give us

the knowledge we take into what

we do and say. It is important that

the facilitator makes it possible

for all participants to feel safe

and accepted, regardless of

identity, culture, background,

belief system, race, gender or

sexuality or disability. This is

true of any community theatre

process, but in the context of

intergenerational work there is

the added consideration of age

and cultural norms regarding

respect for elders. The facilitator

needs to balance developing a

mutual respect for each other

with an attitude of acceptance for

issues that might be challenging

or even shocking. How do we

make people feel comfortable,

and create a safe space where it

is possible to have difficult and

uncomfortable conversations?

INCLUSIVITY, RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY AND NON-JUDGEMENT

20

The facilitator has to listen to all the various stories to pick those

that represent as many of the participants as possible. The artistic

team have a responsibility to represent all the stories and to try

to merge them in a way that will make everyone feel that they’ve

been part of the journey. It is also important to respect people’s

privacy and never ‘force’ a story, but to make space for the voices

when they are ready to be heard.

Getting into character can also be a challenge. For some, telling

their own story and/or playing themselves feels uncomfortable.

A way to work through this is to get the participant to role play

or invent a character based on their story or for someone else to

tell their story. This allows the individual to find some safety and

distance from their own story. This can result in beautiful moments

of connection where the actor stands in someone else’s shoes, and

can experience empathy for someone else’s experience.

For some older persons, and people living with disbility, mobility

is a challenge, especially when they want to do things that they

used to do when they were younger or try to do what the youth do.

As a facilitator, you are challenged to find ways and exercises that

will suit both groups and make them excited and comfortable and

show they are part of the process. They become energised, but it

can also be a challenge for their bodies. Create an atmosphere of

trust and non-judgement - a safe space.

THE ETHICS OF USING PERSONAL NARRATIVES

PHYSICALITY AND ENERGY LEVELS

The older adults want to go to parks and relax, whereas the

youth want to dance and do a million things. The energy levels

are different, and the thinking is different. The youth are thinking

about what they want to do when they grow up, and the older

adults’ thinking is quite different as they’ve been there already.

The facilitator who lets go of preconceived ideas and realises

that there is one thing that they all have in common – the desire

to tell a story - will find it easier to bridge these differences.

These need to be safe and accesible for all participants. In some

spaces that you will perform, there may not be a stage at all. The

facilitator has to be aware of everyone’s needs and what the available

space is like, and come up with a solution that will suit both young

and older persons as well as those that are differently-abled. The

facilitator has to identify the various challenges that each participant

has and find an appropriate space that will accommodate as many

as possible. You want a space that is conducive for all participants,

and for performing. The facilitator has to note that the older adults

may not have the energy to walk long distances, and if one is in a

wheelchair or differently-abled, they may not be able to go backstage

easily. If not, is there a way for you to find creative solutions?

It is important to emphasize the care and support for each other in the

backstage area - a space that can be filled with anxiety and tension.

As a facilitator, you need to

be aware of the participants’

responses and the things that

are not working. Resistance, low

energy, uncooperative behaviour

is a form of feedback to be alert to.

When these things manifest, it is

worth sitting down and unpacking

what the different needs or fears

are, and adapt your approach

accordingly.

FACILITATOR’S NEEDS

As much as the facilitator needs to immerse him/herself inside the work,

it is important to realise your own needs and mental health limitations.

Facilitating the process is not only hard physical work but mentally taxing

too. You hear heartbreaking stories, you are not a social worker, and you

do not have the training to deal with some of what comes out. It would be

best if you had support. It is a non-negotiable to surround yourself with an

external team of people who know how to deal with memories or stories

that require further interventions.

BEING RESPONSIVE TO PARTICIPANTS’ NEEDS AND FEEDBACK

REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE SPACE

Should you work with others, remember that they work differently to you,

and their interests, understanding and expectations can be very different

from yours. Ensure you create a memorandum of understanding with

the organisations you will work with and parents. Have something that

sets out the project’s intentions and if there are any monetary benefits or

contributions required.

WORKING WITH DIFFERENT ORGANISATIONS AND PARENTS

DE

VIS

ING

TH

EA

TR

E

The first thing to note about

approaches to devising theatre

is that there is no single

approach. Every practitioner has

their own preferred set of tools,

techniques and exercises and

there are as many methods as

there are facilitators. However, it

is worth defining what devising

theatre is, how it differs from

other types of artistic practice

in theatre, and what Gcebile’s

approach has been.

Devising is when the facilitator

or director positions herself as a

co-creator with the participants

in the rehearsal process. It is

sometimes called theatre-

making or play-making. This

can be done for any number

of reasons, for therapy or

healing, communal archiving of

shared histories, or purely for

artistic reasons - to generate a

production that will be shown to

an audience.

Who are these audiences?

One way of describing devised

theatre is to think of it in terms

of who it was created for.

APPROACHES TOParticipant-led and participant-focused theatre is intended

primarily as a vehicle for the people involved in the process to

benefit. The facilitator understands the importance of the creative

process as healing - the value is in participants who have opportunity

for expression, social connection or conflict resolution, but the play

that is produced might never be performed outside of its direct

community. Many Applied Theatre or Dramatherapy productions

would fall into this category. People who work in this way often say

that the process is as important as the product, if not more so. The

participants or co-creators, as it were, benefit from the play, story

sharing and artistic collaboration, and are not simply actors for hire.

They are co-authors of the story, they share ownership, and artistic

decisions are made collaboratively. The role of the facilitator then

is more than simply a director-playwright, they “hold space” for the

emotional process that unfolds, and they draw on qualities that go

beyond the artistic.

Audience-led or audience-focused productions have a different

intention: to be watched, consumed and appreciated by paying

audiences. Many commercially-minded productions make use of

devising as a method, but the aim of the production is to secure a

run at a professional theatre or festival. In these productions, there

can be a “show must go on” mentality and drive, when the artistic

choices are geared towards an end product and the learning process

for the participants is secondary.

REACHING WIDER AUDIENCES

Gcebile’s approach is

somewhere in between. She

describes her playmaking

process as an intuitive one

that blends a number of

different methods. She makes

use of verbatim theatre,

where personal stories of

the participants are directly

incorporated into the scripts,

rather than creating and

researching fictional characters.

She blends music, dance,

movement, poetry and narrative,

to create a crafted production

that gets shown to audiences.

These distinctions are not

intended to create a division

between “professional” and

“non-professional” work, or to

place community-led theatre

as somehow marginal. On the

contrary, it is to highlight the

fact that mounting the shows on

professional stages, travelling

to festivals and holding the

production to a high aesthetic

standard can be of huge value

for the participants. When the

team of the Hillbrow Theatre

Project made the effort to raise

funds to send the productions

to the National Arts Festival,

they understood that this

experience would give the cast

the opportunity to be genuinely

proud of their efforts and

creative work. Witnessing the

applause and positive feedback

of audiences gives dignity

and gravity to their stories, the

affirmation that “what we have

shared is worthy of a quality

theatre production, is shared

and enjoyed by others.”

Taking the stories of groups

and individuals that are not

usually heard on mainstream

stages, and bringing them to

these spaces - that’s something

I really wanted to do,’ explains

Gcebile. The videos and

photographs that accompany

this document are testament

to the transformative power of

these decisions, for audiences

and cast members alike - not

just the power of sharing and

telling a story, but the power of

having that story heard.

Having said this, there were

times when the stories were

performed closer to home,

and these moments brought

a different kind of decision-

making, and a reminder that

the most important principle

at play is the trust between

facilitator and crew, and the

emotional safety of the cast

members. In one such instance,

a teenager who had shared a

highly sensitive story, panicked

when she learned that her

family would be coming to

watch the show. Her parents

had not been supportive of her

attending the drama classes,

and she assumed they would

never come and watch. But

with the show’s success, the

travel to other provinces, and

the publicity it had received, the

family had decided to go and

find out what the production

was all about. “We got another

cast member to play that

part, because she did not feel

comfortable playing her own

story in front of her family,”

explains Gcebile.

REMAINING TRUE TO THE PARTICIPANTS’ SAFETY

Anecdotes like this, where the

whole cast joined together to

problem solve and share her

story, illustrate how the process

turns individuals carrying painful

stories of rape, trauma, sexual

identity into a family, sharing the

burden of carrying these stories.

These are a powerful way of

finding connection between

audience and participants

and building commonality as

they discover similarities in

experience. Each performance,

especially those in new

contexts, adds to the richness

of the way the participants

understand their stories.

POST-PERFORMANCE DISCUSSIONS

Understand what the outcome is: it is process-driven and social development rather than artistic development. So, don’t become

bogged down into being the director. You need to focus on who the

audience is and what the purpose of the project is. Always ask yourself

the following question: “What will the participants get out of the process?”

Everything boils down to three concepts with intergenerational

work: memory, age, and the body.

QU

AL

ITIE

S A

FA

CIL

ITA

TO

RWILL NEED TO CULTIVATE

Working with both youth and the older persons requires patience

and a strategy filled with ways to bridge the gap caused by the age

difference.

“There is so much involved in being a facilitator for an inter-generational project: it is complex and requires dedication and the

ability to open yourself up to receiving the stories of others, while being aware of your own stories.

- Gcebile Dlamini

“Despite what one may think,

there is no magic involved in

creating intergenerational work.

Nor is there a special formula

that can be used that will

guarantee its success. There is

only the facilitator’s hard work

and dedication, the relationship

he or she has with the cast and

the innate trust in oneself and

the process.

Facilitators need to ask various questions of themselves from the

beginning and during the process. These could include:

• How do I ask questions of the various generations in ways that

each can relate to, and yet still still remain respectful?

• What happens in the process, from start to finish?

CONTINUOUS SELF-REFLECTION

During and after the process, the following questions should also

be pondered on and documented.

• How did I get to this process so that I can emulate it?

• What informed the process?

• What worked and what didn’t?

• What were the strengths and weaknesses of the process?

By maintaining an attitude

and practice of self-reflection,

facilitators can be responsive

to the demands of the process

itself, as well as sensitive to the

needs of the cast. It is helpful

if the facilitator keeps a journal

where they can make notes,

reflect on what worked and

what didn’t and write down

observations.

HONESTY AND TRUST

“As a facilitator, you have

to build trust, explains

Gcebile. “This is an essential

part of working with your

intergenerational cast. The main

part of the intergenerational

project is collecting and

responding to stories. Once you,

as a facilitator, open up and

tell them your story; what has

shaped you as an individual, you

gain their trust. This process of

opening up is called emotional

labour.

Setting aside time for

participants to express

frustrations, is also a way to

build trust. For Gcebile, this

includes revealing her own

feelings, making herself

emotionally open to the

participants in the process.

‘I let them know where I am

emotionally. There are always

challenges, but I believe in

emotional labour. You must be

honest and trustworthy. Unpack

yourself. If you can, they feel

they can. Trust and honesty is

everything in this work.” Part

of this emotional labour is to

do the work of acknowledging

what your own feelings are

and owning them. This is not

to burden the participants, but

rather letting them know that

you too are human like them

and have compassion for the

struggles we all face.

It is important to be able to work

in such a way where you can

leave your emotional baggage

aside in order to be present

to the process. One way to do

this is to start the session with

a check-in where everybody,

including the facilitator can

debrief and unpack their

feelings. The same can happen

at the close of the session, as

a way to heal and process the

emotions and frustrations that

may have arisen,

Ethics are the principles that guide us to make a positive

impact through our decisions and actions. We can think of ethics as the principles that guide our behaviour toward

making the best choices that contribute to the common good.

“HOLDING SPACE”

OF

TH

E P

RO

CE

SS

The initiation phase is when

relationships are formed, trust is

built and participants are getting

to know one another. Some

of this is practical: drawing up

agreements, scheduling and

conducting interviews. Some

of it is already artistic. Games;

music and chants; writing;

movement; storytelling; movies;

images; and research/reading

are all ways to begin to develop

a shared language.

AN OVERVIEW

There are two phases that

Gcebile built into her strategy.

She suggests a facilitator builds

them into theirs too. These are

initiation and transformation. As

in most collaborative theatre-

making processes, there is a

phase of getting to know the

participants, building trust,

which moves into generating

material (stories, images,

songs), and then transforming

the material into the actual

performance.

THE INITIATION PHASE:

DESIGNING THE PROCESS: FROM INITIATION TO TRANSFORMATION

There are many ways to get the participants to open up, work

together and spark stories. Every tool and action the facilitator

uses can generate material and assist in creating the end-product,

whatever that ends up being.

The entire process in creating an inter-generational product

is based on research from both the facilitator and the groups

involved. The facilitator needs to design the process. The strategy

becomes a dynamic ‘to-do list’ and will include the methods, tools,

and procedures related to the context, theme, and production

style. It needs to include experimental and artistic approaches.

Relationships: During this phase, it’s important to establish

relationships with participants, partners, and all other stakeholders

involved in the project, including nursing homes, schools and

the community connected to the project. Memoranda of

Understanding are important for establishing expectations and

clarifying arrangements.

A joint code of conduct and expectations: During this period, the

facilitator guides the group in collectively negotiating the rules and

codes of behaviour: how people expect to be treated, and what

commitments they will make to the process, as well as how to be

considerate and aware of others’ needs and vulnerabilities..

Observations: Throughout the process and performance, the

facilitator observes what is unfolding: behaviours, energy levels,

and the needs of the participants. All observations are meticulously

written down. This is important for monitoring and evaluation.

Observations were also made on past participants to track their

growth resulting from the programme.

Gathering stories and research: At times stories are shared within

the group session but you may then need to work individually

with participants to develop the material. Part of the research is

encouraging participants to interview friends and other relevant

people or organisations. At times we may bring an expert or a

person to their own story that relates to themes emerging in the

process

Mind mapping: This can be a useful tool for conceptualising the

context and content, the questions to ask all involved, and the play

or performance structure. As you listen to the stories and narratives

that are shared, map out the themes and images that recur, or the

connections between stories and characters.36

During this phase, the focus

turns from generating material to

shaping it. The group focuses on

creating the production, drawing

together themes and threads that

were identified, making creative

decisions, still in a collaborative

way, but with the facilitator’s role

changing subtly to become more

of a director.

SHAPING THE MATERIAL INTO A “PRODUCT”

Sometimes there are beautiful

things that have come out of the

process but which do not fit in

the production, The facilitator

must be objective and edit them

out.

Gcebile’s advice here is not

to despair about the bits that

are cut. In most cases, the

information has been stored.

Often, you will find the person

comes back the following year

with a better awareness of that

same piece and has done more

research. The story has grown

and is now easier to work it into

something. These decisions can

be negotiated with the cast,

keeping mind the end result

as well as what people can

comfortably handle.

EDITING, REFINING, DISCARDING

There is great value in carrying out the work for more than one year

with the same participants so that they can really grow through the

processes and get the opportunity to work with their stories again.

Building relationships

Unpacking

Research

Sharing stories

Debates

Questioning

Selecting &

shaping

Editing & refining

Rehearsing

The Production

Most of the productions were

created over a three-month

period with approximately 12

hours a week, but the timeline

would differ depending on

different contexts, how often the

group would be able to meet

and of course what funding is

available.

During the first phase, which in

this case was for about a month,

games and exercises were used

to unpack the theme. Collectively,

the group makes decisions about

what needs to happen, why it

needs to happen and what needs

to be part of the performances.

TRANSFORMING PHASE: CREATING THE PERFORMANCE

During the third phase, the facilitator, creative team and participants

take the material, look at what isn’t working, take that out, reshuffle it,

and rework it.

“It was exciting and challenging at the same time. We never had a chance to bond with our own gogos (grannies) and umkhulus (grandfather) but since we started this production (Sounds Like You and Me) we’ve had that connection. We started to bond. When I was next to a gogo and a umkhulu, I felt like I’m home. They taught us a lot of things. When we played games, it was challenging because of the different energies. We had to do everything we could to make them feel comfortable, especially

around us..”

~ one of the young participants.

TH

E P

RO

DU

CT

ION

TOOLS FOR CRAFTING

In Gcebile’s approach,

participants’ stories, accounts,

and records are used directly

in the performances. She

searches for the connections

between the stories that

arose from the first part of the

process. Her understanding of

narrative is “those things that

together form a series of events.

It creates meaning through

words, sounds, still and moving

images.”

NARRATIVE

The older persons have so

many stories and memories

within their bodies, and the

process gives space to gently

reflect on their lives. On the

other hand, the teenagers are

still creating memories and are

on their journey of discovering

the unknown. Telling stories

allows one to distance oneself

from the ‘normalities’ of life. The

facilitator needs to remember

this and use various tools

and techniques to allow both

groups to tell their stories -

this is devising, not directing.

The facilitator also has to take

cultural, social and economic

differences into account.

To obtain the narrative, we often need to travel to the unknown and

become vulnerable. The facilitator’s role in this journey is crucial.

“ “

There is value and beauty in

what is revealed in the everyday

- the routines and habits of daily

life, and not only the traumatic

events. Observation exercises,

engaging the senses, and the

imagination - these are all ways

of bringing the stories to life on

stage.

To construct the narrative and

discover the themes behind the

stories, the facilitator can use

various tools such as games,

music and chants; writing;

movement; telling stories;

movies; images; rituals; and

researching/ reading.

Gcebile uses a lot of movement

in her processes. It helps

transform a person and helps

one relate to one’s body. The

body becomes an important

tool in the embodiment of

stories. The older adults have

stored memories that are not

easy to convey because they

have been stored for so long.

The body needs to unpack

before the words can have a

say. They find space in their

bodies, and in time. They find

themselves in the past to

present and present to the past.

MOVEMENT

This allows the participants

to reconstruct the who, what,

why, and when relating to

themselves. The stories reveal

how they view themselves

and the world and how they

make sense of it all. A person’s

past shapes who they are.

Storytelling starts early in our

lives, and our memories are

embedded in the stories we are

told in our mother tongues as

children.

TELLING STORIES

“ “ Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to

malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanise.

Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair

that broken dignity.

“ “

With everyone here being from everywhere else there is a compelling

assortment of tales of family migrations from other countries, from

rural villages and from townships – and how they have come to settle

albeit still in perpetual transit, in the inner-city of Johannesburg.

- CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHE, AUTHOR

- JEFFERSON TSHABALALA, DRAMATURGE -

YOUNG@HOME 2017

Out of the participant’s stories,

images emerge that can be

embodied to help flesh out

the underlying themes in their

stories. Sometimes a story

might be incomplete, or just a

fragment, and a simple image

recreated on stage can speak

powerfully of underlying

themes and emotions.

IMAGES

By incorporating some rituals in

the processes, the older adults

especially, seem to relax and

become more comfortable. It

helps develop trust. It gives

them a feeling of controlling the

uncontrollable.

RITUALS

Games are used to prompt

creativity, to create a sense

of bonding and lightness.

Games can be shared in

the devising process, and

can even be reproduced

on stage. Using indigenous

games can also take

older participants back to

memories of childhood.

GAMES

Music often transports a

person to a memory. Listening

to music makes the body

move which helps in restoring

memories. It helps relax some

of the participants. It also

gives one inspiration. Chanting

also helps one relax; it also

creates unity and allows one

to be heard. Participants’ own

words can be repeated as

chants or lines of text in the

performance.

MUSIC AND CHANTS

Talk about who we are and

what identity can do to us.

Talk about our clan names

and where we come from.

You can get called different

names, some unique, what

are they? Encourage the older

participants to tell stories

about happy memories from

when they were young. The

young ones can also be

encouraged to share joyful

experiences. Not all stories

need to be full of drama

trauma or conflict to be

dramatic. Finding balance is

part of the artistic process.

CONVERSATIONS AND MEMORIES

45

• What have we done in the last month together?

• What did you learn?

• How was the progress and process from the beginning to the

end of the production?

• What did you learn from each other?

• What surprised you in the process?

• What were the challenges and enjoyments?

• What would you do differently if we started again?

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS TO

ASK PARTICIPANTS AT THE

END:

-

It can be difficult to find a link between all the stories, and get

them to follow a theme. I would jot down themes. There was the

theme of lost father, the theme of living in the streets. I would look

at the stories and find connections. We would look at who could

tell stories together - people relate to each other’s stories because

they’ve experienced similar things. I was constantly telling them, this

story will help someone out there. Sometimes there are beautiful

moments that have to be cut - I always ask, tell me what you are

comfortable with.

We were working with the idea of “home” and Sonia Radebe who

was choreographing, suggested the image of a family tree. I sat and

really looked at the flow of the story: the leaves, roots, stems and

fruits, the wind, soil, oxygen. The ways in which the soil of home can

nurture us. This way we could begin to incorporate metaphor into the

production. It connected the generations.

““

- GCEBILE DLAMINI

MO

RE

AB

OU

TGAMES

Games are an important part

of the process. Don’t be afraid

to play games; there is no set

game that must be played, so

experiment. Each group may

respond differently to a game.

However, every game must be

considered carefully and tested

as you have people with varying

energy levels, mobility, hearing

abilities, etc. Take note of the

spaces you will be working in

as this will often dictate the

games you can play. Some are

high energy, others calming - be

aware of who you are working

with and set the rules and

instructions carefully.

There are many benefits to

introducing games into the

process, some of which help

with ‘team building’ and

communication. Through

fun, the group interacts with

one another and get to know

each other. As the process

progresses, the interaction

improves, and the games

certainly help break down

any silos. It allows them to

work cooperatively and builds

awareness of so many things

depending on the game

played. It also helps improve

concentration and imagination.

It allows the older persons time

to play, and for some teenagers,

they too get a chance to leave

the stresses of their lives behind

and just play and have fun. For

many, this may be the first time

they get to do this.

Games also help the

participants to problem solve

think creatively, which is helpful

when on stage. Things can and

do go wrong, and one is forced

to improvise. Playing games

encourages that process.

Some games help them express

and release emotions. The

facilitator must be ready for this

and create the space for those

emotions to occur healthily and

to be able to direct the situation

so that it doesn’t get out of hand

or harm the person.

Name games can be fun,

useful at the beginning of a

process for getting to know

each other, and also for

developing characters. These

might play with the meaning of

names, and sometimes make

the participants pretend to be

someone or something else.

Storytelling games, clapping

games, indigenous games,

all help to promote flow and

rhythm. Physical games create

awareness of the body because

there are stories in the body.

Find ways for the bodies

to move and the stories to

materialise.

Connection and trust games

help to find ways for participants

to connect and trust one

another, or to use different

senses.

WARM-UPS

Physical activity has many

health benefits, and starting

each session with a warm-up

helps to awaken the body, open

the mind and loosen up for the

performance. It is important

that each participant warms

up at their own pace. Younger

participants can be vigorous,

and burn off excess energy.

Dance and movement activities

awaken the body and the mind.

The facilitator must take into

account the varied flexibilities

and fitness levels in the space,

and familiarise herself with the

participants’ levels of ability,

injuries and capabilities.

Warming up at each interaction

helps relax the participants and

aids in easing any anxieties or

stresses they may have brought

into the space. It also helps their

bodies prepare for any physical

actions required during the

process or performance.

Gentle stretching is essential to

help warm up stiff muscles and

prevent injury when they move

around on stage.

52

Voice warm-ups are an important part of the process, from early

on, and can be incoroporated into sharing songs and music from

each generation. The cast enjoyed doing these and as the months

progressed, the movements they created during the process and

the songs they sang became a natural part of both the warm-up.

and also of the intergenerational content of the production itself.

They cast became used to the songs and the movements and this

made it easier to perform them once they were on stage.

There are many resources on the internet that a facilitator can go to

for warm-up inspiration. But it is suggested that whatever exercise

is used, it is tailored to the specific needs, abilities, and of course,

the environment in which the process takes place.

No

tes fo

r a fa

cilitato

r• Keep the topic in mind, and use it to organise the material that

arises from the creative process;

• Take time regularly to pause and reflect and get feedback from

the participants

• The people in the space need to journey with you and not work

as a separate entity;

• You are responsible for the gathering of stories for individual

and group work.

• There may be tensions regarding the theme and focus. You

need to know how to allow the process to evolve.

• You need to honour the voices and stories and build trust

• By sharing stories, you are opening participants up to

vulnerability. You must allow and give people the space to be

vulnerable, and you need to understand them and their journey.

• Direct the process to incorporate stillness. Find time for silence.

• Allow individuals to have their own journeys of discovery.

• Maintain clear boundaries. Decide collectively on rules,

discipline, and respect, and implement the rules with

consistency.

• Trust the process, the people and most importantly, yourself.

The minute you trust the process, it happens.

• Trust that the youth will become more empathetic and

recognise the needs and requirements of the older adults.

Once the cast has started to work together, they start to notice

what is wrong with things like the space regarding their older

cast members’ needs and offer suggestions to rectify it. They

become more aware of others’ needs.

• Processes are improvised, and movement, content or play

comes from participants: you are telling their stories, not yours.

• Sometimes a participant will share with you but not with the

whole group, and it is important to respect their privacy.

IN C

ON

CL

US

ION

:THE REWARDS OF THE WORK

Gcebile shares the following

caveat: There is nothing

as challenging as working

with children, apart from

working with children and

older persons together. They

both come to the process

with different energies and

experiences. Making these

generations comfortable

with one another such that

they feel able to narrate

their stories and listen to

others’ stories is definitely a

journey. The facilitator will

have to have a great deal

of patience, be prepared to

listen to the stories without

prejudice and offer comfort

and understanding where

necessary.

But, after five inter-

generational productions -

some of which have run for

several years, Gcebile says

that it has been a positive

experience, despite the

challenges. The participants

have all grown through

the processes and have a

positive relationship with

their counterparts. Without

exception, participants have

shared that they have learnt

from one another through the

productions.

It was amazing to see one of the

beneficiaries, who from the first day

was very slow yet at the end she

was open and even confessed her

bones are better. It’s like seeing a

flower open up.

In 2017 the cast of young@home

had the opportunity to be part of the

19th ASSITEJ World Congress and

International Theatre Festival for

Children and Young People.

It was amazing to be in a big festival

like Cradle of Creativity. The road

towards there was long and worth it.

I enjoyed every second of being there.

I was very happy to meet and see

international productions. It became

an inspiration to me and the work of

the Hillbrow Theatre Project. To also

be different with our approach made it

very interesting to be there.

I also enjoyed being with the

beneficiaries outside Hillbrow and

could really see who they are, which

was amazing to experience. They were

there for each other and made sure

everyone was safe. They never ate or

drank tea if one of them is not. They

held hands on the streets to make sure

that everyone was safe. It was beautiful

to see. They were worried about each

other and I was touched.

Every morning Mr Harry was awake and

having conversations with people from

around the world. Today he is having

a serious, engaging conversation

with someone from China, the next

day from Nigeria or any other place.

Mr Harry became a true reflection of

the impact the process has done to

all the participants in the production.

It was amazing to see him open up

and become one with the world. Flora

was amazing too because on stage

she would light up and just feel the

stage with so much will and want for

audiences to listen. Vicky's silence

spoke to everyone. Here presence

and saying nothing and action gave

such a lesson that we need to listen to

ourselves. We need time to understand

our bodies and our minds. It becomes

such an amazing discovery that Mr

Harry and Vicky write love letters

to each other. An amazing heart

connection. Gcebile Dlamini

““

Ou

tre

ach

Fo

un

da

tio

n

Intergenerational Productions

Director | Gcebile Dlamini & Linda Mkhwanazi

Lighting Design | Phana Malvin Dube

young@home (2016)

CastTswelopele Frail Care Centre

Joseph Tshabalala

Samuel Makama

Themba Mbele

Henry Nkosi

Benjamin Pule

Samkelisiwe Mvula

Sakhile Mlalazi

Nokuthula Tshabalala

Violet Ledwaba

Surprice Seete

Lesego Monyela

Prince Nyathi

Janet Ncube

Minenhle Gumede

Koketso Motswana

Jamie Pedro

CastHillbrow Theatre Project

CastHillbrow Theatre Project

Abongile Ziswana

Ntandokazi Lilane

Tumelo Nkoele

Bontle Ndlovu

Sanele Zwane

Siyabonga Ximba

Tahliso Makaleng

Lwazi Dube

Junior Munyai

Dylan Ngwenya

Thokozani Mbhele

Lungile Witbooi

Thabang Kolberg

Benjamin Shambo

Aljoy Chik

Hope Manda

Guqulethu Nxumalo

Nthabiseng Ndlovu

Samkelisiwe Mvula

Babalo Jonas

Pearl Segwagwa

Sabelo Ndlovu

Fatima Kholokholo

Thuthukani Lombo

Bontle Ndlovu

Director | Gcebile Dlamini

Dramaturge | Jefferson Tshabablala

Choreography & Music | Sonia Radebe & Nhlanhla Mahlangu

Soundscaping | João Orecchia

Consulting Director | Peter DuPont Weiss (C:NTACT)

Photography | Mark Straw

Assistant to the Dramaturge | Phana Dube

Set design | Gcebile Dlamini

Lighting | Phana Dube

Stage Manager | Nompilo Hadebe

YOUNG@HOME (2017)

CastHillbrow Theatre Project

Abongiwe Ndlovu

Aminathi Radebe

Amahle Mene

Brandon Magengele

Bayanda Junior Xolo

Dakalo Mulaudzi

Jackson Moqotlane

Lihlithemba Ngcobo

Nonjabulo Chauke

Nyiko Kubayi

Prince Nyathi

Rendani Dlamini

Sbusiso Nkosi Mabethu

Zinhle Mnguni

CastTswelopele Frail Care Centre

Adelaide Tukuta

Benjamin Pule

Florah Nkoana

Harry Card

Milton Sibiya

Themba Xaba

Vicky Walker

Performances

21-Mar | Hillbrow Theatre - Open rehearsal

28-Mar | Ramolao Makhene Theatre at the Market Lab - Preview

01-Apr | Hillbrow Theatre - Opening

03-Apr | Olive Tree Theatre, Alex

04-Apr | South Rand Recreation Centre

08-Apr | POPArt, Maboneng

06-May | Drama for Life Symposium Sibikwa Arts Centre

23 & 24 May | The 19th ASSITEJ World Congress and International

Theatre Festival for Children and Young People

Surprice Seete

Tisetso Masilo

Violet Ledwaba

Lesley MosweuDirector | Gcebile Dlamini

Dramaturgy | Paul Noko

Choreography | Bigboy Hadebe

Music | Thobeka Malinga

Stage Manager | Bontle Ndlovu

IN MY MOTHER’S WOMB (2018)Created in collaboration with the cast

Cast

Abigail Skhosana

Simiso Msimango

Owami Ngozi

Rozelle Philander

Charmaine Moyo

Anele Mkhonto

Blessing Opuku

Bridget Moyo

Ntobikayise Khumalo

Ukho Somadlaka

Mbongiseni Mahlangu

Olivia Jack

Dakalo Mulaudzi

Thato Ndlovu

Mbalenhle Ncube

Cast

Tswelopele Frail Care Centre

Doris Xhegwana

Vicky Walker

Florah Mvelase

Harry Card

Cast

Johannesburg Society for the Blind

Justice Mbonane

Peter Mabote

Nurse Nzimande

Amanda Mshwao

Lesego Monyela

Bongani Magena

Limthandeni Moyo

Tshepang Lebelo

Tshepang Nkatlo

Tisetso Masilo

Vusumuzi Magoro

Director | Gcebile Dlamini

Dramaturge | Carmen Ho

Music | Friendly Drummers

Choreography | Bigboy Hadebe

Stage Manager | Bontle Ndlovu

SOUNDS LIKE YOU AND ME (2019)

An inter-generational project in partnership with Tswelopele Frail

Care Centre, created in in collaboration with the cast and featuring

the music of the African Jazz Pioneers

Performances

28 March | Hillbrow Theatre

13, 14 April | Drama for Life SA Season

21, 27 April | POPArt

4th December | 10th Drama for Life Conference and Festival

25th November | State Theatre

30th November | Speech and Drama College SA

CastYoung ones

Abigail Skhosana

Amahle Mene

Amanda Mshwao

Anele Mkhonto

Dakalo Romeo Mulaudzi

Dineo Rakaki

Bridget Moyo

Blessing Opoku

Olivia Jack

Rozelle PhillanderLesego Monyela

Simiso Msimango

Tshepang Lebelo

Tsepang Nkatlo

Thato Ndlovu

Mbalenhle Ncube

Mbongiseni Mahlangu

Ntombikayise Khumalo

Ukho Somadlaka

Vusimuzi Magoro

Performances

30 March | |Hillbrow Theatre

6 April | South Rand Recreation Centre

13 April | Tshwelopele Frail Care Centre

17 April | Hillbrow Theatre

23 April | South Rand Recreation Centre

27 April | Gerald Fitzpatrick Home

July | National Arts Festival

30 November | Speech and Drama College SA

Elders

Doris Xhegwana

Harry Card

Vicky Walker

Florah Mtshali

Eddie Tizzard

Friendly Drummers

Orlando Moyo (OF Music Centre student)

Cliford Mogoboya (OF Music Centre student)

Quinton Mamabolo (OF Music Centre teacher and alumnus)

This project is funded by the International Relief Fund of the German Federal Foreign

Office, the Goethe Institute and other partners: www.goethe.de/relieffund. Also, thank

you to Auswärtiges Amt, S. Fischer Stiftung and the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the

Goethe-Institut South Africa for recognising and acknowledging our work in the inner-

city of Johannesburg and beyond.

IN MY SHOES WE WALK (2020)

Cast and VideographersYoung Ones

Olivia Jack

Ukho Somadlaka

Blessing Opoku

Thato Ndlovu

Tshepang Lebelo

Tshepang Nkatlo

Simiso Ngubane

Mbalenhle Ncube

Mbongiseni Mahlangu

Rozelle Philander

Realebogile Ndlovu

Director, Videographer & Editor | Gcebile Dlamini

Technical Facilitator and Mentor | Jessica Denyschen

Dance and Choreography Mentor | Bigboy Hadebe

Facilitator and Videographer for Tswelopele Frail Care Centre | Innocentia Khoza

Production Assistant | Thobeka Malinga

Elders

Vicky Walker

David Lesele

Eddie Tizzard

Doris Xegwana

Flora Mvelase

Screenings

13th December 2020 | The Alex Arts Academy

14th December 2020 | Tswelopele Frail Care Centre

Acknowledgements

This project is funded by the International Relief Fund of the German Federal Foreign

Office, the Goethe Institute and other partners: www.goethe.de/relieffund

Thank you to the Auswärtiges Amt, S. Fischer Stiftung, Robert Bosch Stiftung and

Goethe Institut, Johannesburg for acknowledging and supporting our work in the

inner-city of Johannesburg.

Thank you to Rand Merchant Bank, Bread for the World, and the Lutheran World

Federation for generously supporting the intergenerational programme over the last

five years.

A special mention to Benjamin Sambo, an inspiring participant of the performing arts

programme, who enticed us to work with Tswelopele Frail Care Centre in 2016.

Thank you to all partners and individuals who supported the programme.

Assitej South Africa (young@home 2017)

Bafikile Mkhize, Co-ordinator ekhaya Neighbourhood CID for her love and support in

promoting Outreach Foundation in Hillbrow

Boitumelo Project for costume and set assistance

Bongani Sibisi who supported us on our tour to the National Arts Festival (Sounds Like

You and Me 2019)

Bontle Ndlovu for all your volunteering.

Centurion College, St Enda’s Secondary, New Nation, Barnato Park.

Christine Crossley (Meals on Wheels) for tremendous support and loan of wheelchairs.

(young@home 2017)

Danish Agency for Culture (young@home 2017)

Deshun Deysel for the generous loan of Dictaphones (young@home 2017)

Drama for Life, University of the Witwatersrand

Erica Lüttich, Bigboy Ndlovu, Lesley Mosweu, Sibusiso Ndlovu and Mark Straw for

documenting.

Ford Foundation

Friendly Drummers

Henrik Haartman, Naghmeh Mahmoudi Kashani and the C:NTACT team for the

collaboration, funding and your tremendous support. (young@home 2017)

Innocentia Khoza (Tswelopele Frail Care Centre) for her dedication and support (2016 –

2020)

Jessica Denyschen for your passion to archive the arts. (young@home 2017)

Johannesburg Society for the Blind (In My Mother’s Womb – 2018)

Joseph Letlala, Nini Manuel and the wonderful team at Tswelopele Frail Care Centre for

your trust and support.

Laura Warrlich for typing, driving, shopping and generous support. (young@home 2016)

Lesley Mosweu for images and videos

Linda Michael Mkhwanazi

Madoda Gxabeka and The African Jazz Pioneers (Sounds Like You and Me 2019)

Market Theatre Laboratory

Olive Tree Theatre

Parents and families of all participants

Penny and Robert Heuberger for generously providing accommodation in Cape Town

(young@home 2017)

Phana Dube

POPArt

Rand Merchant Bank for providing additional funding to document the process and

performances. (young2home 2019)

Robert Ngubane for all the driving

Thabang Phakathi, project coordinator, Outreach Foundation

Thapelo Mowela for her support and getting us on Morning Live. (young@home 2017)

The Plat4orm,

Thobeka Malinga for her love and support.

Thundafund Backers (young@home 2017, Sounds Like You and Me 2019)

Yvette Hardie

30 Edith Cavell Street

Hillbrow

2001

Tel: 011 720 7011

Email: info@outreachfoundation.co.za

Website: www.outreachfoundation.co.za