Theatre Reimagined: a Night of Immersive Performance at JOMBA!
By Hambisani Goge
If you are a fan of live performance and the evolving landscape of contemporary dance, then the JOMBA! Festival is the place to be. Tonight’s performances (3 September) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Sneddon Theatre and its surrounding outdoor spaces were nothing short of mesmerising; transforming traditional boundaries between performers and audience members. The evening challenged my preconceived notions of theatre, creating an experience that invited me and my fellow spectators to become an intrinsic part of the performance.
“Close by,” performed by Flatfoot Dance Company, and Boyzie Cekwana’s “…on behalf of a collective sigh,” with world class musicians Maritri Garret, Mandla Matsha, Thulile Zama, Sindisiwe Motha, and Zibusiso Mathe, redefined what it means to be an audience member. The performances broke away from conventional theatre practices, compelling us to reconsider the fourth wall as not just a barrier but a dynamic space ripe for dismantling.
“…on behalf of a collective sigh” was particularly thought-provoking, inviting the audience onto the stage to sit amongst the performers on carefully arranged chairs and cushions. Cekwana moved seamlessly through the audience seated on stage, there was an organic, interconnected choreography; spectators shifted instinctively, making way for him to pass. Maritri Garret’s haunting vocals and live instrumentation enveloped the space, creating a profoundly therapeutic atmosphere that encouraged personal reflection. I found myself closing my eyes, momentarily transported by the calming and introspective soundscape offset by Cekwana’s deep questioning around South African democracy and contemporary conditions.
“Close by … / La rue d’à-côté…,” performed on the theatre driveway and pavement areas, reimagines where dance can be performed; challenging what constitutes a ‘stage’. The performance began almost imperceptibly, with FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY’s Sifiso Khumalo standing amidst the audience. It wasn’t until he began to move into the performance area that I realised the show had already started. This blurring of boundaries echoed the ethos of the renowned Marseille-based Ex Nihilo, whose work since its founding in 1994 has sought to move dance beyond traditional stages and into the public sphere. “Close by…” embodies this spirit, dismantling walls — both physical and metaphorical — and inviting interaction with the audience.
Tonight’s performances reaffirmed that theatre is more than a designated stage; it is any space where an audience and performers meet, engaging in a shared moment of creation and reflection. This evening’s works reminded me that before the invention of proscenium stages, performance took place in the streets, on the ground — wherever people gathered.
JOMBA! runs in Durban until Sunday 8 September, for more information on times and venues, visit the JOMBA! website: https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za.
