Jefferson Tshabalala-writer, performer, director.

This is the tenth episode of Voices from SA. Yippee. My guest this week is writer, performer and director Jefferson Tshabalala. He is part of the new wave of South African theatre.

Tshabalala creates works across varied fields, ranging from orthodox drama to hip-hop theatre, and was nominated at the 2014 Naledi Theatre Awards for the Best Emerging Voice award. In 2015 his production of the play “Secret Ballot” was nominated at the Naledi Awards for Best Ensemble production.

We spoke about how exposure to theatre performance in his first week on campus changed his whole creative direction. We also chatted about his relationship to directing, acting and performing and how these different roles suite him at different times. I asked him about the nature and importance of collaboration and also the freedom that his alter egos-POET O-type, JBobs Live and J Bama Klot give him on stage.