Sarafina is coming back to Nairobi. Based on the late Mbongeni Ngema’s 1987 musical, the acclaimed Nairobi Performing Arts Studio will revive the production at the National Theatre for the first time in over five years.
Sarafina is a musical that captures the essence of youthful resistance and the fight for human rights against the backdrop of apartheid in South Africa. With music by Ngema and Hugh Masekela, it’s a powerful statement on resilience, unity, and the indomitable spirit of a generation, both exhilarating and poignant.
Although many will find echoes of the Sarafina story in the current political protests in Nairobi, the show was originally scheduled for October of last year but postponed due to renovations at the National Theatre. Director Stuart Nash had brought the show back due to popular audience demand and has been rehearsing the cast since July 2023.
The story revolves around Sarafina, a stoic schoolgirl in Soweto, South Africa in the time of apartheid. Played by Lorna Lemi, Sarafina herself remains relatively silent and lives with the harsh realities of apartheid, until the government’s introduction of the mandatory use of the colonial Afrikaans language in schools and prohibition of the students’ native language. As described by Nash,
“Sarafina is a face that is given to the voice of the revolution. When the likes of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo were arrested, more and more people rose up inspired and wanted to be like them. So Sarafina is a representation of all these people’s strengths, visions, pain, joy and love, put in one character that is bigger than the actors”.
This injunction for the replacement of the Zulu language sparks the famous Soweto Uprising of 1976, which Sarafina and her classmates join. The protests are violently suppressed – at the time 176 striking students were killed and more than 1,000 injured. Sarafina’s teacher, Mary Masembuko, played by Wakio Mzenge, has a significant role in inspiring her students to stand up against the oppressive regime. Their journey becomes one of education, protest, and awakening.
With a vibrant blend of South African rhythms, gospel, jazz, and choral music as well as powerful storytelling, Sarafina remains a significant piece of theatre as it captures the spirit of resistance and the fight against injustice. The character of Sarafina herself serves as a testament to the courage of young people in the face of oppression and their determination in standing up against the massively unjust system of apartheid.
Through the students’ defiance they learn about sacrifice and courage, the personal costs of fighting for freedom. The play also highlights the importance of culture and heritage.
Some may have seen Sarafina in its last iteration, however, this is a new adaptation, remaining faithful to the original story but blending elements of the original 1987 musical with those of the 1992 film that many are more familiar with.
“We tried to make it less sanitised than the film…So it’s quite raw and a bit stronger than it would be in the film version”
Many will recognize members of the excellent cast from other Nairobi productions: As well as starring the well known Lorna Lemi and Wakio Mzenge, we will see Gadwill Odhiambo (Best Lead Actor 2024 Kalasha Awards) as Crocodile, Peter Pish Kago (known for The Lion Roars No More) playing Sabela and Hellen Mtawali as Mama Sarafina. Daniel Lee Hird, who we recently saw as the lead in 1984, plays Lieutenant Bloem, the lead villain audiences will love to hate—a drug-addled, schizophrenic psychopath who embodies ‘baasskap’ (‘boss-hood’ by Afrikaners). Dominic Mutemi is the Principal, and Mavin Kibicho takes the role of Preacher.
Stuart Nash has told iN that while set in 1976, and true to the raw, emotional story of Sarafina, this adaptation has added something small onto the ending, which really brings it into 2024 and highlights the universal themes that Sarafina champions. Although we have an idea of what this is, we will let you discover the surprise for yourself at the theatre.
“Sarafina” is showing at the Kenya National Theatre from 15 – 25 August, at various timings.