Exploring meaning in Xhalanga Blues: a theatre of ntsomi palimpsests encouraging sustainable storytelling

This research explores the notion of the ntsomi; the oral storytelling custom of amaXhosa, by identifying ten elements listed by various writers as unique to African oral storytelling and weaving these elements into poetics which assist us in tracing how they are used to stage and facilitate conversations around sustainability in the production Xhalanga Blues. The unique African oral storytelling poetics include; contextually, sensitive storytelling; etiological formula usage; deviation or ring composition; an opening formula; orature in the form of narrative proverbs; personal metaphors; riddles and songs; analogous explanations; personification; image-repertoire; extensive use of long speeches or monologues and survival construct. The research further explores the challenges of using these poetics as I try to make sense of my experiences, the visibility of black theatre-makers and self-representation. The research essay is presented as an autoethnographic narrative that hopes to archive my experience, develop a shared understanding of the challenges facing emerging theatre-makers, clarify my values as a theatre maker and centre storytelling as a systemised approach for imagining a dramaturgy of sustainability.

Grantor

Department of Drama

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Plaatjie, Nwabisa

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Tshazibane, Mfundo
• Crewe, Jenni-lee

• Theatre and Performance

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33922

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/33922