Theatre students from the University of Louisville, US, and the actors of the Vus’Abanto Theatre group from Langa, Cape Town, have joined forces to present a fresh view of the Atlantic slave trade.
The tale deals with the experiences of West Africans who were enslaved and shipped to the Americas nearly 400 years ago. But unlike many stories about the lives of plantation slaves, Middle Passage focuses on the slaves who never survived the arduous journey. An estimated 6 million slaves perished on the journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
But the show is not merely an account of the past — it also offers a message of healing and hope, and a new vision of the future.
Middle Passage director Nefertiti Burton, says the production aims to help heal those wounded spirits of the past so they can rest.
“The tragic diaspora must be recognised and depicted,” said Burton. “Through the play we can help people recognise that that era and its people are part of who we are.”
Middle Passage began to take shape when Burton and Fatima Dike, the playwright, met co-director Dumile Magodla while on a visit to the US. It was during this trip that Magodla realised how many similarities there were between blacks in Africa and America. And he wanted to emphasise that, despite the past, we are one people.
Dike sees Middle Passage as a work in progress, but one that has the potential to become a great main-stage production. The play does not aim to tackle all the issues of the slave trade, but rather aims to raise awareness of this part of history that connects blacks in America with their African counterparts.
Burton enthuses that Middle Passage has given the 10 American students an opportunity to experience Africa. She said they were also eager to learn a great deal about the stylistic differences adopted by local artists. — ECN Cuewire