Nombulelo Nombewu and Malehlohonolo Taulana in Once an African

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Windybrow explores cultural taboos ONCE an African, the musical, explores the sensitive subject of cultural taboos, at the Windybrow in Doornfontein. October 6, 2005 By Buhle Makabane CULTURAL taboos are placed firmly under the spotlight in the musical Once an African at the Windybrow Centre for the Arts, in Doornfontein, in downtown Jozi. Written and choreographed by Nozipho Nguse, the play investigates the consequences of a king breaking a cultural taboo by marrying twin sisters. Jerry Mofokeng, who is also an actor and teacher, directs. Once an African is the fourth production at the Windybrow this year. It has also staged an adaptation of Bessie Head's novel Maru, After Tears by Ndaba Ngwane and Get Down, which was written and directed by Paul Rapetsoa. Annual events "We are popularly known for hosting the annual Windybrow Arts Festival, which runs in March," says Windybrow's public relations officer, Lindi Mahlabe. Theatre companies from Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Belgium, the US, Japan and Cuba participate in the festival. However, the centre it is not only used as a theatre. It also hosts workshops on poetry, music, dance and creative writing, and is a rehearsal space. According to its mission statement, Windybrow is "a cultural institution whose principal objective is the development and promotion of the performing arts". It encourages new work from writers, directors and performance artists. "The main thrust of Windybrow's programmes has been and continues to be to provide access to the facilities of the theatre to a broad section of the arts community, with a special emphasis on communities hitherto marginalised by the apartheid regime," it continues. At the centre, the atmosphere is one of creativity at work. Pieces of poetry are carved into the wood throughout the house. There are three theatres - the Nadine Gordimer, which accommodates 230 people; the Dalro, which seats 60; and the Trustbank, with room for 40. Some of the mansion's rooms have been converted; one is a coffee shop, one a bar, others are rehearsal rooms. Every room has a fireplace, pressed steel ceilings and wooden floors; some rooms even have the original carpets. The entrance hall retains its wood-panelling, and the drawing room, with its central arched ceiling, is now a small pub. The building also has a large balcony and a parking area. History Windybrow's remarkable history dates back to the 18th century. The 109-year-old mansion has changed its identity several times over the century - it has been a private home, a boarding house, a nurse's home and is now an arts centre. Theodore Reunert, an architect and founder of the engineering firm Reunert and Lenz (now part of Barlow Rand), built the house in 1896. "The house was called Windybrow because Reunert admired the poetry of Robert Southey, the English poet, who had a home in England called Windybrow," Mahlabe explains. Reunert left the country at the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War because his business was failing, and in time boarders occupied the mansion. Later student nurses moved in. By 1987 Windybrow had been unoccupied for several years. The government intervened and the house became a cultural institution. Wall of fame At the entrance to the house, a wall of fame welcomes visitors. Jazz musician Wendy Mseleku, from Sarafina, is one of the honoured stars. Others are actor James Mthoba, poet and playwright Matsemela Manaka and singer Margaret Mcingana. Situated on the corner of Nugget and Pieterson streets, Windybrow is in Doornfontein, an inner city suburb of Johannesburg to the east of the city centre. It attracts audiences from the neighbouring suburbs of Yeoville, Berea, Hillbrow and Joubert Park. The musical Once an African explores cultural taboos Once an African runs from 5 October to 16 October 2005. Tickets are R30 each. Performances start at 7.30pm on Tuesday to Saturday, and at 3pm on Sunday. There are also shows at 10am and 2pm from Monday to Friday, particularly for school children. For more information, contact Lindi Mahlabe on 011 720 0003. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za