Hallelujah! was first showcased at the Market Theatre during the Young Writer’s Festival in 2000. It was subsequently staged again at the Market Theatre in 2001 for an entire season with the original cast: the late Bra Fats Bookholane, Oscar Motsikoe, and Lerato Thooe, all under the direction of Fiona Ramsey.
The play serves as a powerful examination of the damaging effects of self-hatred and the widespread violence affecting our communities. In *Hallelujah*, we follow the journey of a young poet named Bonga, who aspires to publish his work. As he grapples with finding his voice, we observe the heartbreaking consequences of trauma and how it can warp both our self-perception and the perceptions of those around us.
This performance will not only honor Freedom Month but also commemorate Africa Month, as the play serves as a call for self-reflection—encouraging us to confront the internalization of toxic narratives from our oppressors and how we’ve turned them against ourselves. Through Bonga’s journey, we are invited to consider how we can begin the process of healing, rediscover our self-worth, and reclaim our identities as Black individuals.
This is a play “Black Audiences Hate to Love,” As it presents what may seem like a simple narrative about the daily lives of a black family. We observe their experiences at home and in a jazz club in the expansive township. However, beneath this seemingly uncomplicated account of familial life, love, and generational conflict lies a complex array of deeply personal experiences influenced by the concluding phases of apartheid. Nevertheless, many have felt overlooked by the new power structures since then, as their desires and dreams remain unfulfilled, including basic needs like water, electricity, housing, sanitation, education, along with ongoing issues such as crime, unemployment, and corruption.
After taking on the lead role in this production 24 years ago, Oscar Motsikoe, who played Bonga, will now return as the Director at the Performing Arts Centre of Free State (PACOFS) with an entirely new cast. The play is scheduled to be staged from May 15 to 17, 2025, at the Andre Huguenet Theatre.
Tickets are R100 and R80pp for group bookings of five or more on Webtickets.
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For media enquiries, please contact Maseeta Makgabane on 079 875 6177 or info@pacofs.co.za