Magnet theatre's notion of "making space": with a focus on two South African migrant plays and the Clanwilliam Arts Project

Abstract

The study explores Magnet Theatre’s notion of “making space” for transformative ideas through their migrant plays, Die Vreemdeling and Every Year, Every Day, I Am Walking, as well as through the Clanwilliam Arts Project, which they presented in Clanwilliam for 18 years until 2018. Michel Foucault’s theory on discourse and power reveals how vulnerable migrants are and how easily they may fall prey to exploitation, xenophobic attacks, rape, and even murder (as demonstrated in Die Vreemdeling), are excluded from the dominant discourse and consequently have no power. Space is a dominant metaphor in the work of Magnet Theatre. Henri Lefebvre’s theory of space was used to demonstrate how, through creating and performing their plays, Magnet Theatre both created a safe physical space for participants in the Clanwilliam Arts Project, and made space for new ideas and concepts relating to migrants in South Africa. The study shows that theatre has the potential to be a catalyst for change in South Africa, enabling marginalised voices to be heard. Workshop theatre is a useful tool for advancing transformation through creating a safe space in which participants from all walks of life can, not only learn theatre skills and express themselves, but also voice their concerns and their grievances as a means to achieve healing.

Hierdie studie ondersoek Magnet Theatre se begrip van “making space” (om ruimte te skep) vir transformerende idees deur middel van hulle toneelstukke rakende migrante, Die Vreemdeling en Every Year, Every Day, I am Walking, sowel as die Clanwilliam Arts Project, wat hulle in Clanwilliam aangebied het vir 18 jaar tot in 2018. Michel Foucault se teorie oor diskoers en mag illustreer hoe kwesbaar migrante is en hoe maklik hulle die prooi word van v eksploitasie, xenofobiese aanvalle, verkragting en selfs moord (soos gedemonstreer in Die Vreemdeling), omdat hulle uitgesluit is van die dominante diskoers en, gevolglik, geen mag het nie. Ruimte is ’n dominante metafoor in Magnet Theatre se werke. Henri Lefebvre se teorie oor ruimte is ingespan om te demonstreer hoe, deur toneelstukke te skep en op te voer, Magnet Theatre terselfdertyd ’n veilige fisiese ruimte geskep het vir die deelnemers aan die Clanwilliam Arts Project, sowel as vir die kweek van idees en konsepte ten opsigte van migrante in Suid-Afrika. Die studie dui aan dat teater die potensiaal het om ’n katalisator vir transformasie in Suid-Afrika te wees wat gemarginaliseerdes ’n stem kan gee. Werkswinkelteater is ’n bruikbare instrument om transformasie te bevorder deur ’n veilige ruimte te skep waarin deelnemers van alle vlakke van die samelewing, nie net teatervaardighede kan leer nie, maar ook hulle bekommernisse en griewe kan lug om heling te bewerkstellig.

Olu phando luphonononga ingcinga yeMagnet Theatre “yokudala indawo” ekuthiwa yi”making space” yeengcinga ezinenguqu ngokusebenzisa imidlalo yeqonga yabafuduki, iDieVreemdeling and Every Year, Every Day, I Am Walking nangeClanwilliam Arts Project, abathi bayibonisa eClanwilliam iminyaka eli18 kwade kwaba ngo2018. Ithiyori kaMichel Foucault yediscourse and power ibonisa indlela abafuduki abasesichengeni ngayo kunye nendlela ekulula ngayo ukuba babe ngamaxhoba okuxhatshazwa, ohlaselo localucalulo ngokobuzwe, udlwengulo kunye nokubulawa (nanjengoko kubonisewe kwiDie Vreemdeling), ukungabandakanywa kwabo kwiingxoxo eziphanbili kwaye ngenxa yoko ababinagunya. Indawo siskweko esiphambili kumsebenzi weMagnet Theatre. Ithiyori kaHenri Lefebvre yendawo isetyenziselwe ukubonisa indlela iMagnet Theatre, ngokudala nokudlala imidlalo yeqonga yaba bafuduki, edale ngayo indawo ekhuselekileyo kubathathinxaxheba beClanwilliam Arts Project, yaze yadala indawo yeengcinga neengcamango ezintsha ezinxulumene nabafuduki eMzantsi Afrika. Olu phando lubonisa ukuba ithiyetha yemidlalo yeqonga inamandla okuzisa utshintosho eMsantsi Afrika, nto leyo eyenza ukuba amazwi asingelwa phantsi aviwe. Ucweyo lwethiyetha yemidlalo yeqonga sisixhobo esiluncedo sokuqhubela phambili utshintsho ngokudala indawo ekhuselekileyo apho abathathinxaxheba abavelo kuzo zonke iinkalo zombomi banako kungekuphela nje ukufunda izakhono zemidlalo yeqonga kunye nokuzibonakalisa, kodwa nokuvakalisa iinkxalabo nezikhalazo zabo njengendlela yokufumana ukuphila