Listen & Hear is a powerful multidisciplinary production that highlights the African Union's Agenda 2030 through the tragic story of Toro, a young girl who dies on New Year's Eve from cold, hunger and poverty. Created by postgraduate students from the Department of Performing Arts, Faculty of Arts and Design, this unique performance aims to raise awareness and spark change. It will culminate in a landmark show at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda, running from 26 June to 6 July.
“Collaborating across disciplines and immersing themselves in Work-Integrated Learning has resulted in an exceptional artistic creation. This project demonstrates academic rigour and artistic excellence and represents a valuable addition to the national cultural landscape,” says Dr Rostislava Pashkevitch-Ngobeni. Head of the Department of Performing Arts.
Performing Arts staff members Motshidisi Manyeneng, Wandile Mgcodo and Dr Rostislava Pashkevitch-Ngobeni on their way to the National Arts Festival in Makhanda.
Abandoned on the streets of Langa in Cape Town during an unprecedented snowstorm, Toro’s fragile hopes and dreams are interwoven into the narrative as she silently yearns for a better life. Against the haunting backdrop of Table Mountain and the stark reality of Langa township's poverty, the production reflects on the deep social and environmental disparities affecting African communities.
Calling for urgent attention to be paid to the voices and dreams of those left behind in the struggle for survival, it echoes the core themes of Agenda 2063 for Africa, especially regarding eradicating poverty and promoting social inclusion.
The conceptual spark for Listen & Hear was ignited during the Institute for the Future of Work's (IFOW) annual dialogue in 2024, where issues of social justice were at the forefront of the discussion. Drawing loosely from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Match Girl, the production reimagines the narrative within a South African context, resonating with local experiences of displacement, marginalisation and the fight for dignity.
Artistically, the work is deeply rooted in the legacy of South African theatre icon Gibson Kente. His vibrant characters, music-driven style and community focus shape the production’s aesthetic and energy. This is combined with the suitcase style of theatre, a minimalist and mobile approach that enables direct, accessible and emotionally raw storytelling. Through this fusion of styles, the production delivers a message that is both timeless and urgent.
The spirit of Brenda Fassie – bold, urban and unflinchingly honest – echoes throughout the production, infusing it with musical nostalgia and township rhythm. Combined with the symbolic geography of Cape Town, her influence evokes a layered narrative of survival, resilience and forgotten dreams.
Listen & Hear is more than just a performance: it is a communal cry, a poetic lament and a rallying call for compassion and change.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
ORIGINAL IDEA AND PRODUCER: Dr Rostislava Pashkevitch-Ngobeni
SCRIPTWRITERS:
- Msindisi Messiah Nxumalo
LIGHTING DESIGN: Wandile Mgcodo
SET DESIGN: Nadia Smith
COSTUMES: Motshidisi Manyeneng
MUSIC: Lungile Luswazi
CAST:
- Khanya Tyopo as Grandma Nolundi
- Rorisang Sechele as Toro
- Melusi Nhleko as Mother Dorothy
- Msindisi Messiah Nxumalo as Njabulo/Politician 1/Mandla
- Thato Kgatla as Kagiso/Politician 3/Simba
- Nadia Smith as Ms Smith/Lounge worker
- Lungile Luswazi as Joffrey/Politician 2
The cast and scenes from Listen & Hear.