The Mysteries

Archive Listings for The Mysteries

T0857146686 (SPIER02) Producer Spier Festival Company. Director Mark Dornford-May. Director Charles Hazelwood (music). Performer Siyabulela Bede. Performer Lungelwa Blou. Performer Nolunthando Boqwana. Performer Bongani Bubu. Performer Helen Burger. Performer Bulewa Cosa. Performer Portia Dladla. Performer Camilla Driver. Performer Pauline du Plessis. Performer Lusindisco Dubula. Performer Zukile Gquadushe. Performer Herman Hardick. Performer Kurt Haupt. Performer Steven Hicks. Performer Thembela James. Performer Sandile Kamle. Performer Andiswa Kedama. Performer Fikile Khuzwayo. Performer Andile Kosi. Performer Njabulo Madlala. Performer Nandie Mahangu. Performer Pauline Malefane. Performer Ayanda Mamve. Performer Isabel Martens. Performer Andries Mbali. Performer Gracious Mbatha. Performer Bongani Mbato. Performer Zintle Mgole. Performer Mvuyisi Mjali. Performer Sibulele Mjali. Performer Ruby Mthethwa. Performer Dipuo Mogoregi. Performer Jim Ngxabaze. Performer Vumile Nomanyama. Performer Mpont-seng Nyatsa. Performer Zoliswa Qumza. Performer Zorro Sidoyi. Performer Andrew Strijdom. Performer Andile Tshoni. Performer Sibusiso 'Otto' Ziqubu.
31 Mar 03 to 5 Apr 03	Theatre Royal, Bath :: V854 listing details L1582791224
18 Mar 03 to 22 Mar 03	Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes :: V754 listing details L0302979981
11 Mar 03 to 15 Mar 03	Theatre Royal, Plymouth :: V895 listing details L1305141114
3 Mar 03 to 8 Mar 03	Peacock Theatre, Inner London :: V222 listing details L1241586173
25 Feb 03 to 1 Mar 03	Theatre Royal, Nottingham :: V458 listing details L986078060
18 Feb 03 to 22 Feb 03	Richmond Theatre, Outer London :: V327 listing details L01186259209
11 Feb 03 to 15 Feb 03	Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham :: V145 listing details L1898281159
4 Feb 03 to 8 Feb 03	Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne :: V570 listing details L01371374962
28 Jan 03 to 1 Feb 03	The Lowry, Salford :: V0655996499 listing details L01300077207
21 Jan 03 to 25 Jan 03	Theatre Royal, Norwich :: V72 listing details L0196207966
29 Oct 02 to 14 Dec 02	Wilton's Music Hall, Inner London :: V1165 listing details L459238845
21 Feb 02 to 18 May 02	Queen's Theatre, West End :: V410 listing details L1251211124

Details

Musical :: In June 2001, a production of The Mysteries opened in London's East End. Featuring a cast of 40 young South African actors of all races, many of whom had no formal stage training, The Mysteries received ecstatic reviews. Its 20 performances were a sell out. This production creates an extraordinary blend of the medieval words of the Chester Mystery Plays (performed in Xhosa, Zulu and Afrikaans as well as English) with music - ancient and modern, African and European. It draws on the rich choral traditions of the South African townships and on modern rhythms created with drums and penny whistles. Dress head to foot in red leather, Satan transforms himself into a serpent and leads Eve into original sin. Noah pleads with his wife to abandon her vegetable patch and board his ark as the rain begins to fall. Jesus arrives too late to save his friend Lazarus but will not give him up without a fight and in the garden of Gethsemane Judas betrays God's son with a single kiss. No stories are better known than these, woven in the consciousness of people across generations and continents, and no version is as famous as The Chester Mystery Plays.

Author	Mark Dornford-May
Author	Charles Hazlewood