Boxes centers around a young Cape Town couple: Kaye (Qunaita Adams) and Lawrence (Mark Elderkin) who had recently moved into the inner-city of Cape Town. They find their preparations for a housewarming dinner derailed when Lawrence announces he has accepted a job offer to design a state of the art residential development in lower Woodstock. When it is discovered that local residents will be evicted from their neighborhood to make room for the development, Kaye begins to probe the repercussions of her partner's latest architectural venture. 

As Kaye and Lawrence battle it out, we learn of Kaye’s interactions with her aunt Sumaya in the Bo Kaap, who due to rising rates is forced to sell her family home, and in the process has returned to her activist roots. As Kaye and Lawrence attempt to arrive at some sort of resolve before the arrival of their dinner guests, audiences encounter a myriad of characters including property developers, politicians, residents and whistleblowers whose lives are impacted, for better or worse, by the gentrification trends sweeping across the city and suburbs. Over the course of four short scenes, Boxes probes the legacy of Apartheid spatial planning and forced removals, examining past and present notions of ‘development’ and ‘progress’ by interrogating the question: Who is really benefiting from all this?

The South African city of Cape Town suffers from a legacy of apartheid spatial planning. Apartheid forced removals relocated hundreds of thousands of people classified as black, coloured and Indian away from the city and into townships, ghettos and informal settlements on the urban periphery. These areas remain today and continue to house the working class and unemployed in locations far from secure job opportunities. Violent crime and poor access basic services also mark these areas as difficult places to live. Access to well-located land coupled with the development and protection of affordable housing options is key to redressing the legacy of apartheid segregation. There have been no affordable housing units built in the Cape Town city-centre since the end of apartheid. Given this, the rapid gentrification by property developers of the few working class neighbourhoods close to the centre of the city, often ending in evictions of existing residents, is of serious concern.  This housing and segregation crisis has become one of the most contested public interest issues in Cape Town today.

The Boxes creative process saw playwright Ameera Conrad, Neil Coppen and the performers meeting in Cape Town on several occasions to discuss the emerging research and begin forming a theatrical response. During this phase journalist Daneel Knoetze’s articles, combined with additional reading and interviews, became the departure point for many of the discussions. Conrad also interviewed a group of activists in the Bo-Kaap and much of this research informed the Aunty Sumaya character featured in the second half of the play. During the scripting of Boxes, the team resolved to adopt a multi-perspective character approach, factoring in a broad range of views and experiences into their play text.

Boxes enjoyed a successful tour of Cape Town and surrounds during April and May 2019 performing 21 shows for audiences of Grade 10, 11 and 12 high school learners, students at UWC, UCT and CPUT, and for social justice organisations such as Ndifuna Ukwazi, Reclaim the City, Social Justice Coalition and the Development Action Group. Boxes also played  at a Freedom Day event at the District Six Museum. In addition, Boxes performed for an audience of 200 occupiers at Cissie Gool House, previously known as the Woodstock Hospital, who were directly opposing being evicted by the city. Over a period of three weeks, the production was viewed by more than 2500 people, with each show followed by a facilitated talk-back discussion.

Scene 3 Unpacking Boxes

We find Kaye is sitting on the floor unpacking boxes and unwrapping dinner plates and utensils from newspaper wrapping.  Lawrence (Lorry) enters carrying grocery bags.

Lawrence: Hey!

Kaye: Lorry where’ve you been?!

Lawrence: Sorry, sorry, got caught up at this meeting…. you won’t believe what happened!

Kaye:  We’re running seriously late here.

Lawrence: I came as soon as I could.

Kaye: Ya well Lindiwe didn’t show up, I got delayed at Aunty Sumaya’s and then I had to come home to this.

Lawrence: Fuck, I’m sorry love.… Lindiwe sent a Whatsapp this morning.

Kaye: What did she say?

Lawrence: Something about the trains.

Kaye: Since when does she not live around the corner?

Lawrence: Since the people who employed her over weekends decided to turn her basement quarters into storage. She’s had to move out to Khayelitsha, it takes her two… three hours to get here.

Kaye: I had no idea. Did you pick up the chicken?

Lawrence: The what? I got the salad stuff like you asked.

Kaye: I whatsapped you to stop at woolies.

Lawrence:  Shit! Didn’t get a chance to check my phone yet. It’s okay, I’ll message James, ask to stop on his way,

Kaye: Leave it. I could do with some extra time. I may just be able to throw together a salad but I reckon we going to have to order in the mains.

Lawrence: (Takes out his phone). What we thinking…. Monks? I’m quite keen for some chow mein.

Kaye: Doesn’t your dad’s racist palate rule out the entire Asian continent?

Lawrence: Oh ja shit… he has that Gluten free thing going and James is allergic to soy sauce.

Kaye: I mean of all the things a person can be allergic to.

Lawrence: What are we thinking then….Italian?

Kaye: Your people. Your call.

Lawrence puts the groceries to on side. He takes out a bottle of wine.

Lawrence: Have the glasses shown up yet?

Kaye:  Seriously Lorry? Pick a box. Try that one over there.

She gestures towards a box and Lawrence half-heartedly rummages through it till he finds tea mugs. He pours the wine into two mugs and excitedly takes his seat at the table.

Kaye: And now?

Lawrence: I’ve got some really exciting news

Kaye: (Interrupting him) Baby…sorry can we just clean this shit up first. I’m feeling overwhelmed with the unpacking and your people are about to arrive. I need a hand here.

Lawrence: Ya sure…of course. Sorry. (She fumbles around some Boxes as Lorry watches on concerned) You okay my love?

Kaye: Ag not really. I can’t stop thinking about Aunty Sumaya.

Lawrence: How they holding up?

Kaye: Mmm?

Lawrence: Aunty Sumaya and them?

Kaye: Ag she’s okay, just packing everything up. It’s a bit sad, really.

Lawrence: I’m sure.

Kaye: I mean, to think that was her and her kid’s whole life in that house, you know? She’s having to move in with Siraaj and them up in Bonteheuwel.

Lawrence: That’s not too bad.

Kaye: Well if you consider that the Bo Kaap house was supposed to be Siraaj’s inheritance then it kinda is.

Lawrence: I suppose…

Kaye: You suppose?

Lawrence: Sorry, no no you’re right. It’s properly kak, I’m sorry my love…

Kaye: Ja.

Lawrence: (counting the plates and utensils he has unwrapped) It’s you, my dad, James and me, Malika?

Kaye: No

Lawrence: You didn’t invite Malika in the end?

Kaye: Na, didn’t think it would be a good idea.

Lawrence: Why not?

Kaye: Your dad!

Lawrence: Kaye…

Kaye: I’m just saying, didn’t think we should throw turps onto the fire. (pause) Especially considering your pops has been at it again.

Lawrence: What do you mean?

Kaye: Look…. Him and the Sea Point ratepayer’s association hogging this morning’s headlines.  You might want to save it for after dinner, in case it ruins your appetite.

Lawrence takes the article from her and glances over it.

Lawrence: Ah Fuck…. “Sea Point Prepares for Housing War!” Really?

Kaye: Looks like the gloves are off Lorry.

Lawrence: They are actually going ahead with this.

Kaye: That’s what is says… they’re contesting the Municipal tribunals decision to build an inclusionary high-rise development in the area. The usual ‘not in my backyard’ bullshit.  And now we have to sit opposite him tonight as he starts bragging about destroying the one chance…the one chance…in twenty something whatever years that we have of establishing a social housing project here in Sea Point. Do you think he realizes the irony here? That the people he refuses to share his neighborhood with, are the same people ones who raise his grandkids, clean up after him…. keep his golf courses green. Why shouldn’t they have a space too to live in this city? People who work in the city should live in the city! You should be grateful I didn’t invite Malika. She would have had plenty to say about this. Remember how she went off at him the last time about that dodgy DA friend of his?

Lawrence: Which one?

Kaye: That Fisher guy.

Lawrence: All I remember about that night is that no one stayed for pudding.

Kaye: She had a point.

Lawrence: Did she?

Kaye:  Ja remember she was ranting about how folks in this town just love to call out ANC corruption, state capture and all that…but they go really quiet when it’s a white DA guy caught stuffing his pockets.

Lawrence: Ya but was it really “corruption”?

Kaye: Oohhh right, I forgot! With those okes it’s never “corruption” only a “conflict of interest” (pause) What he did was criminal.

Lawrence: You think?

Kaye:  I mean he was that big property honcho who was the head of public works in the DA and made to oversee the city’s “urban regeneration” programme. Meanwhile the only thing that he sets out to regenerate is his own bank account. This is the same guy that made major decisions around that Tafelberg site here in Sea Point. Stopping it from being turned into social housing and at the same time his company was investing millions on properties in the area. (sarcastic) And this isn’t corruption? Not at all… t’s just a conflict of interest.  (beat) And you wonder why I won’t throw Malika into the mix.

Lawrence: Couldn’t she control herself for one night.

Kaye: What about your dad controlling himself for one night?

Lawrence: So what happens in seven months?

Kaye: What do you mean?

Lawrence: When we do birthday parties, family get together’s… or anything really? We have to do two versions of each special occasion to keep everyone’s politics apart.

Kaye: Baby don’t start.

Lawrence: We’re gonna have to figure it out at some point, Kaye.

Kaye: Ja, just not tonight, please? Let’s just get through this dinner with no drama, or at least as little drama as possible.

Lawrence: Okay Kaye.

He moves in and holds her, kissing her neck

Kaye: Moenie worry Lorry. Let’s just breathe.

Pause.

Kaye: Jirre, I’m proper moeg, hey. Packing up Aunty Sumuya’s house, unpacking this one.

Lawrence: Was anyone helping at Aunty Sumaya’s.

Kaye starts putting the newspapers back in the boxes and clearing the area.

Kaye: Malika and Siraaj were there – it’s a bit hectic them having to pack up their childhood home.

Lawrence: Didn’t Malika have to move back in there at some point?

Kaye: Ja, she had to move in to help Aunty Sumaya try to pay the rates…but they just kept getting higher and higher, and she’s mos doing her PhD so she doesn’t have a lot of money coming in either.

Lawrence: Can’t Siraaj help them out?

Kaye: They’ve had a baby, Lorry, money’s tight for them.

Lawrence. Right.

Kaye: It’s gonna be tight for us too.

Lawrence: Well… Maybe not. This is what I was trying to tell you about when I arrived. Remember we pitched some designs for that new development? Last year sometime.

Kaye: Ya.

Lawrence: Well I was just in a meeting this afternoon to confirm that we got it!

Kaye: What? Lorry that’s fantastic!

Lawrence: And I’m going to be the lead fuckin Architect.

Kaye: Does this mean we’ll be able to pay your dad back sooner?

Lawrence: Yep! We’ll be able to give him his deposit back in full and have some extra cash to turn the spare room into a nursery!

Kaye: Thank God. Not to be weird or anything, but I really don’t want to owe your dad money.

Lawrence: Me neither, trust me, the sooner we can pay him back the better.

Kaye: So where is it? What is it? Give me details!

Lawrence: I don’t want to jinx it. I mean it’s not official official until the plans are approved.

Kaye: Don’t be silly man!

Lawrence: Well, it’s part of a really big redevelopment thing that’s happening in Woodstock. Uhm, on the Lower Main Road? Remember I told you about it.

Kaye: Ya, ya, amazing.

 Lawrence: We pitched that really beautiful middle-income housing design.

Kaye: Middle income?

Lawrence: Kinda like us, I guess. Not rich enough to afford CBD prices, but still working professionals. Because, I mean, how long have we been trying to get into the property market, right?

Kaye: Right, definitely.

Lawrence: So the idea is that this kind of building will be able to help young professionals like us get on the ladder, so that people stop renting and can finally own something.

Kaye: Without their father-in-law giving them the deposit money.

Lawrence: Exactly.

Kaye: Okay, okay that sounds really great.

Lawrence: It will be! And aesthetically it’s gonna be amazing, you know, it’s not just gonna be an oppressive stack of concrete boxes, it’s got like a rooftop garden, a pool, and there’s going to be retail space on the first floor! Oh! And it’ll have solar panels built into the side of it, so it’ll be entirely off the electrical grid! Totally self-sufficient.

Pause.

Kaye: Did you say it’s in Woodstock?

Lawrence: Kaye!

Kaye: Sorry!

Lawrence: I said I don’t want to jinx it.

Kaye: Oh come on, Lorry, in all the years we’ve known each other since when are you superstitious?

Lawrence: I’m not superstitious.

Kaye: Why keep something secret when it’s such a big deal for you.

Lawrence: Because…because you have a really big mouth and I don’t want you to mention it to my dad tonight at dinner.

Kaye: Where exactly on Lower Main is it?

Lawrence: Uhm, it’s really close to the Old Biscuit Mill, between Gimpie and Bromwell.

Kaye: Jislaaikit.

Lawrence: What?

Kaye: Sorry it’s just still so weird to me that people would actively want to live near Gimpie Street.

Lawrence: I know, I know but that’s the thing about the whole urban regeneration vibe. It will change the way people think about all these areas. I mean, these are failing neighborhood’s, actually.

Kaye: What do you mean by “failing”?

Lawrence: I mean it’s obvious isn’t it? Think about Gimipie Street, or Bromwell Street, or any of those roads in that section of Woodstock… Actually anywhere between the Woodstock and Salt River station, right? That whole strip of the railway line is… Well it’s fucked up, there’s no better way to put it, right?

Kaye: Sure, I mean it’s not the best place to live.

Lawrence: Exactly! Would you want to raise our kids there?

Kaye: Not really.

Lawrence: See? So that’s what I’m talking about. If the area isn’t safe for, for young families, or for children, or – or –women walking home at night! Then that’s a failing neighbourhood, in my opinion.

Kaye: I get that, but I suppose I’m just trying to figure out what the opposite of that is, you know? Like what is this vision of a successful neighborhood that you’re trying to achieve?

Lawrence: I’m not the one trying to achieve it, my love, it’s the city that’s trying to uplift   these communities.

Kaye: I’m confused.

Lawrence: Okay, what about?

Kaye: How is the city involved?

Lawrence: Well they sell the land to the developers, don’t they?

Kaye: By developers we talking about those #Up Up and Away guys?

Lawrence: Up & Urban

Kaye: Ya Those ones.

Lawrence: They’re involved, ya.

Kaye: The same company that Fisher Guy is involved in.

Lawrence: Who?

Kaye: The corrupt DA property Guy?

Lawrence: I dunno the ins and outs

Kaye: Well If you’re going to get in bed with these guys, you should at least know what diseases they have.

Lawrence: Kaye that’s disgusting.

Kaye: I mean surely that’s private land though? Like those houses on Gimpie and Bromwell? Don’t private citizens own that land?

Lawrence: I dunno… maybe?

Kaye: How do you not know?

Lawrence: It’s a complicated and….

Kaye: And?

Lawrence:  I don’t really get involved in that stuff… I’m an architect not a politician.

Kaye: Oh, okay… I just figured you might want to know how it all works, what’s actually happening, you know?

Lawrence: At the end of the day it’s gonna be really good for the community, that whole area is going to be safer, more accessible, have better amenities…and if it’s going to do so much good for the community, then does it really matter?

Kaye: It what?

Lawrence: What do you mean?

Kaye: What’s this “It”? Like does what really matter?

Lawrence: That other stuff that comes with it, you know.

Kaye: Hold on, hold on, hold on. Let me just make sure I’m understanding you right, because, just wow.

Lawrence: Come on Kay-Kay, you know what I’m getting at.

Kaye: No, Lawrence I don’t think I do.

Lawrence: You’re calling me Lawrence …

Kaye: That’s your name.

Lawrence: You only call me that when you’re super pissed off.

Kaye: Well I am Lawrence.

Lawrence: Baby stop. Please

Kaye: Are you saying that it doesn’t matter what happens as long as the building goes up?

Lawrence: That’s not what I’m saying.

Kaye: That’s what it sounds like you’re saying.

Lawrence: Maybe that’s just what you want to hear.

Kaye: Maybe you better clarify what the fuck you’re saying because if you honestly don’t care about all of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes then we are going to have an issue.

Lawrence: Oh are we?

Kaye: Yes, yes we are!

Lawrence: Because you didn’t seem to care so much about it just now when I told you we were going to be able to pay my dad back.

Kaye: That’s different –

Lawrence: How?

Kaye: It just is.

Lawrence: Oh, okay, great, that’s not hypocritical at all.

Kaye: Ugh, you know I don’t want to do this right now.

Lawrence: You brought it up.

Kaye: Yes, and maybe now wasn’t the right time to do that.

Lawrence: Well here we are.

Kaye:  Order the food, I need to take a shower.

Lawrence: I’ll clean all this shit up. (pause) God you do this all the time, you know that?

Kaye: Do what?

Lawrence: Start something with a whole lot of righteous indignation and then try to stop the conversation whenever I make a good point.

Kaye: Babe, you havenz made any points.

Lawrence: (Mocking her) Havenz I? I think you’ll find that it’s you who haventz made a single valid point here.

Kaye: God don’t do that. Don’t do that. I hate it when you do that. Don’t correct the way I speak!

Lawrence: Well that’s what you get for marrying someone who speaks proper English.

Pause.

Kaye: Wow.

Lawrence: Ugh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.

Kaye: Of course not.

Lawrence: I didn’t mean it like…..

Kaye: Ja.

Lawrence: They’ll be here soon

Pause.

Lawrence: I really am sorry.

Kaye: I know

Lawrence: Stress.

Kaye: Ja, same.

Lawrence: Let me order…..

Kaye: I’m going to pack the rest of these away.

Lawrence: (He fiddles mindlessly with his phone before looking up again agitated) Hello…Hello…yes I’d like to place an order….yes…ya I’ll hold. (to Kaye) And it’s not that I don’t care about anything other than the building, babe.

Kaye: I thought we weren’t going to talk about this anymore.

Lawrence: I know but It’s just… you know, change is good, especially when it helps people.

Kaye:  Lorry just for like a second, ask yourself which people this is going to help – and don’t say “the community” because you and I both know that’s not true… I mean, just look at Aunty Sumaya…

Lawrence: Hello…yes I’m here….. four Pizza’s please

Kaye:  With the city getting more and more boujee, the rates are going up and she can’t afford to live there anymore, so she’s quietly forced to move.

Lawrence: Do you do gluten free?

Kaye:  So how do any of these new developments help “the community” when “the community” has to find somewhere else to live? Do you get what I’m saying?

Lawrence: Ja, I do, but it’s different. Sorry I wasn’t talking to you….You do do gluten free, great.

Kaye: How is it different then?

Lawrence: Bo Kaap is, well it’s like vibrant and cultural - Bo Kaap isn’t failing.

Kaye: And Woodstock is?

Lawrence:  Lower Woodstock yes. (back to phone) No I’m sorry no I don’t live in Lower Woodstock I live in Seapoint. Look can..can I call you back in a minute! (Hangs up …. to Kaye) The fact that you can’t go a week without a gunshot means that it’s …it’s failing and If I get to be part of a project that can help stop that, then I’m obviously going to do the best I can.

Kaye: Oh baby you are so naïve if you think that a shiny building, craft beer, and a flat white is going to fix Woodstock’s problems.  That’s the problem here. We are dealing with a bunch of politicians and property people  who have never lived in any of these spaces, you’ve never seen it, so hoe te fok would you or those fancy developers know what the community actually needs?

Lawrence: And you do?

Kaye: No, no I really honestly don’t. But I’m also not trying to “fix” something that I have no idea how to actually fix.

Lawrence: This is going nowhere.

Kaye: Let’s just drop it then

Lawrence: Okay…. moving on. I’ll order

Kaye: Do that.

They move about in silence, preparing the table until finally Kaye speaks up again.

Kaye: Malika was telling me about it earlier today… that…that Up,Up and Away company.

Lawrence: Up&Urban

Kaye:  It’s the same company that’s behind all those evictions in Bromwell street

Lawrence: Malika is known to take things out of context.

Kaye: She was talking about Apartheid style forced removals.

Lawrence: Ja but Malika compares everything to apartheid. If you think about it, Cape Town is a pretty global city –

Kaye: Just like London or New York. That’s what you were going to say wasn’t it?

Lawrence: So what if I was? Why should we be so ashamed of celebrating that?

Kaye: I hate to break this to you my love but this is Cape Town South Africa, a place that comes with its own set of historic kak. All this comparative cosmopolitan fantasizing gets us nowhere.

Lawrence: God now you sound just like Malika!

Kaye: (Pause. She draws breath) Fine, fine You do whatever you chose to do just know that there are…are

Lawrence: What?

Kaye: Repercussions.

Lawrence: Repercussions?

Kaye: Whole people’s lives are going to be messed up by this.

Lawrence: You are so confusing, Kaye.

Kaye: and you Lorry…you need to pick a thing. You can’t stand up for social housing and in the same breath justify forced removals.

Lawrence:  One minute it’s “finally some good money”, the next minute it’s “don’t take the money”. What do you actually want me to do? Huh? At the end of the day, I’m doing this for our kid’s future.

Kaye: Why not try contributing to a place we’d actually be proud to raise a kid in Lorry?

Lawrence: See that’s a lot of pressure to put on one guy’s shoulders here. We’ve got this flat to pay off… medical bills, cots, nappies to think about. We won’t be able to get by on righteous indignation, unfortunately that’s not an accepted currency.

Kaye: Sheesh.

Lawrence: And I understand, it’s hard to put yourself first, you never put yourself first, and I respect and admire that about you, but we have to put our family first. At the end of the day, we’ve got to do everything we can to keep our own little boat afloat.

Kaye: While everyone else drowns? (she nudges one of the empty boxes with her foot, she picks up the empty box) See this Lorry…. this is not a fucking home. This should never have to be considered someone’s home.

Lawrence: We’re just going in circles here!

Kaye: Exactly! We may as well be right back in the 60’s -

Lawrence:  I can always tell when you’ve been spending time with your aunt.

Kaye: How?

Lawrence: You bring up District 6 … and it’s not fair.

Kaye: and?

Lawrence: And you know there’s no way to argue against it! District 6 was appalling, it was disgusting what the Apartheid government did, everyone knows that.

Kaye: Then why are you so hell bent on being involved with the 2019 remix?

Lawrence: It’s not the same thing!

Kaye: Isn’t it? District 6, Rondebosch, Claremont, Constantia, Sea Point –

Lawrence: We need to order this food

Kaye:  You know all of those places used to be where people who looked like me used to live, where we raised our families. It’s exactly the same thing now in Woodstock and BoKaap… I don’t understand how you can’t see that?

Lawrence: I need to order the food or else we serve our guests lettuce and cardboard. (he dials) We can’t just turn our backs on progress Kaye. Without it, this city and all its people-- the poor included-- will be left behind.

Kaye: See I call bullshit on your progress Lorry. It’s the poor who are always being left behind. So just ask yourself whose actually benefitting here?  Who’s really progressing? Cause it’s not my family! Who then?

The door buzzer rings. The guests have arrived. Lawrence glances despondently down at his phone.

Lawrence: Looks like lettuce and cardboard it is.

Kaye: (Sarcastically) Ja well it least it’s Gluten free!

Music as the actors remove costume items and move again around the Jenga tower at the center of the table. They each take a turn at removing another block and placing it on top of the structure before returning to their seats. The music fades.

“It was very powerful for members of Reclaim the City to be able to see Boxes.. It is a profound thing for many people living in poor and working class communities to have their stories and experiences recognised and told on stage. It validates their experience, makes it official and seen. It helps to make clear what feels so personal that it is political and systemic and people are not alone.”

Jared Rossouw, Co-Director of Ndifuna Ukwazi

“You just displayed my life in front of me. You just brought up feelings that I thought I suppressed. I am now even more kwaad (angry) than before. But tonight you have showed me that I am in the right space and I am in the right movement and we are going to prove our point.”

Fahieda, a resident of Cissie Gool House (formerly Woodstock Hospital)

 “What we saw tonight in this play is extremely accurate and also emotional and touching because the very people who were sitting in this room have lived through these kinds of scenes.”

Occupant at Cissie Gool Hospital in Woodstock.

“I live in Mitchells Plain and I feel like we need more plays like this. When I was sitting in the workshop earlier I thought why are we still talking about apartheid and now I see the play and I realize that that conversation is not over. This play brings that power to the individual.”

CPUT Design & Architecture student

“As a pedagogical tool that was absolutely amazing. The move from the deeply emotive humanizing experience all the way to the political and historical. It's an incredibly rich piece and as a teacher I think you got to the heart of the dynamics at play. It’s hard to leave this story not feeling deeply touched and forced to think about the issues.”

Participant from the UCT Global Citizenship Programme.

“Often the students are "talked at" about issues, rather than being allowed to experience them through the stories of others. Having characters voice the complex opinions that we all have about these ideas was a powerful way of opening up the discussion and getting the students to speak about the issues in a meaningful way. 

Sarah McArthur, Teacher at Herschel Girls

“Thank you so much for a brilliantly presented performance and discussion today.. One of my students found the presentation so "inspiring" that he spent an hour talking to me about how he plans to use his 'privilege' to make a difference in narrowing the social/economic divide. The metaphor of making sure one's own boat floats while others drown was especially powerful and has stuck with many of our students.”

Andrea Grant, Drama Teacher Constantia Waldorf School

 “I am writing to thank you and the actors for the performance of 'Boxes' at UWC. The actors were relatable and I thought the way in which the topic of gentrification was addressed was 'real' and emotive. Although I have not been directly affected by gentrification, I have a new found empathy for people whose histories and homes are being taken from them. It reminded me of stories I had been told of my great grandmother being forced out of District Six...Thank you for making theatre accessible and relevant.”

Liesl Leonard Researcher at the Centre for Innovative Education and Communication Technologies (CIECT), University of the Western Cape

“I was struck by the various registers and voices that were communicated through the performance. I took away so many perspectives of the spatial inequality issues that still haunt us.”

Dr Bradley Rink, Department of Geography, Environmental Studies & Tourism, University of the Western Cape

Written by

Neil Coppen and Ameera Conrad in collaboration with journalist Daneel Knoetze and performers Quanita Adams and Mark Elderkin

Featuring Quanita Adams and Mark Elderkin

Production Manager: 

Marí Stimie

Design: 

Neil Coppen

Sound Design: 

Tristan Horton