SCENE IT: ZABALAZA, a Joyous Struggle for the Arts

Maria Kearns

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The 16^th annual Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival kicked off on Friday, 14 March 2026 with a high-energy launch event in the Baxter Studio, and will run until 21 March 2026.

 Kinnes van Somers. Photo Supplied.

The evening’s keynote speaker, Mr. Vincent Motholo, CFO of the University of Cape Town, elicited a very welcoming response after admitting his secret thespian ambitions and thanking the organisers for making his dreams come true by allowing him on stage before listing some impressive statistics regarding the arts sector’s contribution to employment. UCT vice-chancellor Professor Mosa Moshabela, the guest of honour, closed proceedings by likening the Zabalaza Festival to a Struggle for the arts in a compelling speech.

The packed venue saw excerpts from a number of shows that form part of this year’s festival, including Ixesha Labo – Lam – Lethu, Egameni, Themba: The Little Lion That Lost His Mane, Kinnes van Somers, Bring Light, and others.

Last year’s opening event, which took place in the much larger Baxter Concert Hall, seemed to risk toppling under its own weight owing to a very long programme of excerpts and more speeches than you’d care to count, which made it all the more gratifying to experience this year’s smooth, well-rehearsed affair. Well done to the director of Friday night’s showcase who ensured quick, seemless transitions between all the excerpts and thereby guaranteed the evening would be an inspiring and energising one for the audience.

Incindi Yedlaka. Photo Supplied.

Whether or not you’re a fan of opening public events with prayer, you’d have to have a heart of stone not to have been moved by the particular way Zabalaza embraced this tradition: A stirring isiXhosa hymn to get everyone, even those unfortunate enough not to understand a word, in the spirit of things, followed by Christian prayers in isiXhosa, Afrikaans, and English, a Hebrew prayer, and a Muslim prayer.

With so many parts of the world currently in an unenviable state of aggression and counter-aggression, and intolerance and tribalism at the order of the day, it’s impossible not to reflect on how lucky we are to be here, in a country that is still a relatively young democracy, attending a theatre festival dedicated to celebrating ‘identity, community, creativity, and resilience’ in a space where it could not be clearer that all are welcome.

The productions at the 16^th Baxter Zabalaza Festival are:​

• The Battered Housewives’ Club ​​(English, Afrikaans, IsiXhosa; Ages 14+)

• Egameni ​​​​(English, IsiXhosa; Ages 14+)

• Behind the Frame ​​​(English, isiXhosa, Sotho; Ages 14+)

• Becoming (​​​​English​​​​; Ages 14+)

• Themba: The Little Lion That Lost His Mane (IsiXhosa; Ages 6+​​)

• How To Train Your Thought (English, isiXhosa, Setswana; Ages 14+)

• In Kinnes van Somers​​​ (English, Afrikaans, IsiXhosa; Ages 14+)

• When Black Men Disappear​​ (IsiXhosa and English​​; Ages 15+)

• Bring Light​​​​ (English and IsiXhosa; Ages 12+)

• It’s My Baby​​​​ (English, Afrikaans, IsiXhosa​; Ages 14+)

• Incindi Yedlaka​​​​ (English and IsiXhosa; Ages 13+)

• Isibeleko, Es’belekweni ​​​(English and IsiXhosa; Ages 13+)

• BOUNCED​​​​ (Physical theatre​​​; Ages 3-6)

• Captain Kwanda’s Fanplastic Adventures ​(English, Afrikaans, IsiXhosa​; Ages 6+)

Zabalaza is made possible by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports, the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust Fund, the Makwande Empowerment Trust, the City of Cape Town and the HCI Foundation.

The Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival will be running at the Baxter Theatre Centre from 13 to 21 March 2026, and the programme includes theatre shows, musical performances, panel discussions, and more. Tickets can be booked online through Webtickets.