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UMOJA THE SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS
INTERNATIONAL SENSATION: UMOJA – THE SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS NOVEMBER 2005 UMOJA, The Spirit of Togetherness, is one of South Africa's pride and joy. Travelling on the beats of drums, UMOJA is a musical theatre that transports the audience into the history of South African music and dance. And now, the first cast of UMOJA has landed in Canada where they will be performing till the end of the year. But why conquer the American continent when we can also conquer the world? In addition to this cast, a 2nd cast will be touring Europe for the next 3 years. BUT, South Africa is not at a loss, because from 7th February 2006 to 5th March 2006, UMOJA will be performing at the Artscape Theatre. This will be the first time that they will be performing in Cape Town. Cape Town hasn’t seen an event this BIG in a long time and is set to be one Proudly South African piece of theatre that no one should (or will want to) miss. 24 countries have already embraced UMOJA, as they showcase traditional love songs, lullabies and other musical expressions of rural life. The audience has also cried along in the city streets, listening to music reflecting the pain of the migrant labourers and their families. The tale dances through shebeens and the cultural melting-pot of Sophiatown. The heart is saddened by cold stories of forced removals yet the feet continue to stomp along with the explosions of gumboot dancing. There are also the reminiscent sounds of the vibrant jazz that forced its way free from the constraints of the times. The audiences will relate to names such as Miriam Makeba (Mama Africa) and the late Dolly Radebe, while a thread of gospel music running through the tale recalls the huge helpings of faith and courage. This saw black South Africans through some of the country’s stormiest historical passages. Despite its occasional moments of reflection and pathos, UMOJA is a loud, colourful, and jubilant celebration of life that audiences – whatever their cultural backgrounds – have found infectiously delightful and uplifting. The 50-piece cast is made up from a myriad of South African cultures and has its own touching story to tell – the cast have all come from poor backgrounds and have never had previous exposure or training. Most of the cast were street kids from Soweto and untrained artists from the townships. UMOJA has grown immensely over the last couple of years. Not only have they become well-loved overseas, but they have made a positive path for South Africa. On top of all of this, Joe Theron bought The Victory Theatre, which is to become the Home of UMOJA. From this, an academy will be started to train disadvantaged children the ins and outs of theatre, as well as giving them the chance to tour with one of the casts. On top of this all, UMOJA has won the SAMA Award for the Best DVD for 2005, have been awarded the Arts & Culture Heritage Award in Canada, as well as being nominated for several other awards. This is WHAT THE REVIEWERS have already SAID: “… well-choreographed dances, excellent footwork and… breathtakingly harmonious a capella numbers. The vocals, especially the solos, were to die for. This pulsating musical odyssey leaves you breathless, and your heart pounding for more.”
“Spirited UMOJA is irresistible… At the end of the evening, the multicultural audience exploded not merely into applause, but into dance, arms waving and bodies swaying. Not even the worst curmudgeon could resist the good-natured, high-spirited ambiance of UMOJA.” - Paula Citron - Globe & Mail, Toronto, Canada
“… a thrumming diorama, woven together by the joys and aches of a nation.” - Toronto Star, Canada “… the prolonged applause was entirely justified.”
“Away with affected passion and stuck-on smiles. The players clearly live and feel the tale.”
“…a musical pilgrimage which reveals a country and its heart.”
“Throughout the show, individual singers toss off powerful Aretha Franklin-quality arias, seemingly without effort. The first few times it happened, I thought, ‘Ah, there’s the star of the show.’ But others kept stepping forward to do the same.”
“They dance like demons, sing like angels, and drum like magicians possessed.” |
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