“More blacks have been murdered by the camera than the bullet,” says the traditional doctor in Broken Lens, a new play unpacking the injustices and (mis)representation black people have experienced in colonial Africa.
Broken Lens premiered in Port Elizabeth at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum on Monday February 25 and moves on to the Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton on March 8 and 9 as part of the Norman Ntshinga Theatre Series.
Bay playwright Xolisa Ngubelanga honours legendary South African photographers such as George Luse, Peter Magubane, Vuyo Mathanda, Bra Stylez, Wilbur Mdoda and Ernest Cole in his play.
The two-hander premiered in Port Elizabeth at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Museum on Monday February 25 and will be performed at Centenary Hall in New Brighton again on March 8 and 9 as part of the Norman Ntshinga Theatre Series.
Broken Lens is the story of the grandchild of a legendary photographer who returns to his grandfather’s village to capture images of the people of his village.
The dialogue is brought to life by Fiks Mahola, who plays Siza, the grandson of legendary village photographer nicknamed “Picasso”, and Xolani Ngesi as Very Gladman Madlingozi, who in impeccable style plays the part of an older traditional doctor who narrates the history of the village and Picasso’s influence on it.
Broken Lens tackles several themes related to colonial SA. In more ways than one, Ngubelanga and the actors take the audience back to when colonisers introduced Christianity to Africans.
The play introduces a black Jesus contrary to a popular notion that Jesus is white, as depicted in most images.
In the same breath, the creatives highlight the “poison” created by colonial photographers in the minds of black people by painting blacks as a community of “savages” in their subjective photography.
“Young black photographers now have a duty to reconstruct the black image,” Ngubelanga said.
The play was performed twice at the museum in Park Drive on Monday, initially for Cowan High School drama pupils and later for the public.
Ngubelanga encouraged the pupils to photograph their own narrative of their school.
“You know how the township and its schools are painted in a negative light? “I want you to use the cellphones you always use to take photos of each other to paint Cowan High School in a positive light,” he said.
Broken Lens came alive after Ngubelanga interviewed South African award-winning photographer Peter Magubane, famous for his photographs of struggle icons who fought against apartheid.
The play will kick off the Norman Ntshinga Theatre series in honour of the late Port Elizabeth theatre legend. The programme is presented by the Nomhle Nkonyeni Legacy Foundation and the Jo Kinda People NPO.
“[Through this series] we will be taking theatre to the people and it is informed by a necessity to put our history into perspective, particularly the history of arts in Port Elizabeth,” Ngubelanga said.
Broken Lens will start at 7pm at Nangoza Jebe Hall. Tickets are R60 for adults and R40 for students.
Further information from 063-058-4171 or 061-241-5922.