HOUSEBOY

Music Theatre

Houseboy explores themes of colonialism, trauma, and narrative history in a production that merges music, language, translation and drawing.

Developed at The Centre for the Less Good Idea in Johannesburg, South Africa, and directed by William Kentridge, Houseboy is based on the 1956 novel by Cameroonian diplomat Ferdinand Oyono. Told through the diary of the protagonist Toundi Ondoua,

Houseboy makes use of an ensemble cast to explore themes of narrative history, archival memory, and post-colonial identity through the lens of the colonised. A large backdrop produced by Kentridge – palm trees and dense foliage in black – sets the scene, and each character remains present on stage throughout while myriad live percussive sounds, both punctuate and set the pace of the narrative.

At the heart of Houseboy is language and the written word. Here, language is resistance and soft rebellion, and the presence of the diary – the primary vessel for the story – is a means of creating a new record.

Duration: 120 minutes

UPCOMING DATES

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PAST DATES

  • 2022-11-17 00:00:00 2022-11-20 00:00:00 - REDCAT, Los Angeles - USA
  • 2022-09-24 00:00:00 2022-09-25 00:00:00 - The Centre for the Less Good Idea, Johannesburg - South Africa

CREDITS

CENTRE PRODUCTION

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR | William Kentridge

CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR | Bronwyn Lace

ANIMATEUR | Phala Ookeditse Phala

DRAMATURGE | Bongile Lecoge-Zulu

LIGHTING DESIGNER | Wesley France

SOUND ENGINEER | Zain Vally

STAGE MANAGER | Dimakatso Motholo

HOUSEBOY

TEXT | Ferdinand Oyono

DIRECTOR | William Kentridge

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR | Phala Ookeditse Phala

PERFORMERS | Alfred Motlhapi, Nji Alain, Sello Ramolahloane, Katlego Letsholonyane,

William Harding, Antony Coleman, Sue Pam-Grant, Buhle Mazibuko & Sibahle Mangena

MUSICIANS | Micca Manganye & Volley Nchabeleng

CHORUS DIRECTOR | Nhlanhla Mahlangu

ADDITIONAL VOICES | Nhlanhla Mahlangu, Bongile Gorata Lecoge-Zulu & Bronwyn Lace

COSTUME DESIGNERS | Greta Goiris, Emmanuelle Erhart & SO Academy Costume

Production Acknowledgements:

Produced by THE CENTRE FOR THE LESS GOOD IDEA in partnership with THE OFFICE performing arts + Film    www.theofficearts.com

Toured in association with the booking agency Quaternaire    www.quaternaire.org

Special thanks to the team at the Kentridge Studio:

Linda Leibowitz, Natalie Dembo, Anne McIlleron, Anne Blom, Chris-Waldo de Wet, Jacques van Staden, Joey Netshiombo, Diego Sillands & Thandi Mzizi Nkabinde