Theatre: Hannah van Tonder’s Metsi premieres at The National Arts Festival (NAF) 2021 as a live stream staging

Metsi on the Curated Programme at The National Arts Festival, 2021

When: Livestream was on July 15, 2021. The recording will  be available July 19-21 as VOD – video-on-demand – ie watch anytime Booking link: https://nationalartsfestival.co.za/show/metsi-live-stream/ Tickets: R40 or buy a Festival Pass for R1000 Writer and director: Hannah van Tonder Dramaturgy: Paul Noko Performers: Thobani Nzuza, Abongile Maurice Matyutyu, Thulisile Binda and Balindile kaNgcobo  

Hannah van Tonder’s new play, Metsi was streamed live from Makhanda last night, July 15, 2021. The play was staged in the Rhodes Box – without an audience-in-attendance. The recording is available as VOD from July 19-21. Note: The limited release. Some shows at NAF are available until July 31. Metsi is not. There is a lot on at NAF 2021, with shows on at same time. This is like attending a festival, where there are multiple venues with different shows and you have to co-ordinate time slots. TheCapeRobyn got the time wrong for Metsi livestream but fortunately, there is the opportunity to watch the recording from July 19-20.


I am excited to see this new play by Hannah van Tonder. Paul Noko (dramaturgy), says that ‘metsi’ may be translated into English as ‘water’: “Metsi ke bophelo ha nna monko ha na tatso, a bohlokoa ho nto tsohle lefatsing. Water is organic, odourless, tasteless fluid. Water is vital for all known forms of life. Metsi it’s a story about spiritual connection between Juliet Zulu played by Balindile kaNgcobo and Thulisile Binda as Mhlaba. Motswahole Mokubung is played by Abongile Maurice Matyutyu. Sikhathi is played by Thobani Nzunza. 


Noko says that Metsi started in 2019. “It was rejected in numerous writing opportunities.” Van Tonder reached out to him as dramaturgist. Noko notes that opportunities are limited for young black females. “Hannah van Tonder had to create an opportunity for herself to write and direct the work, find artists like Mathews Rantsoma and Onnalena Selwane to perform and lift the play on the floor.” While she was developing the work, van Tonder was completing her masters in social anthropology. She made it happen. More to follow on Metsi and Hannah van Tonder, on TheCapeRobyn. This is an alert, to make sure that you do not miss the recording of Metsi, going out on July 19-21 as VOD – video-on-demand – ie watch anytime.