Igama? and Lesedi Double Feature

The Bioscope and Mabu Art Foundation are proud to host a special double bill screening of a dance documentary ‘Lesedi: The rise of Lulu Mlangeni’ and the play ‘IGAMA?' which were both performed as part of the 2020 Grahamstown National Arts Festival curated programme. As you might remember, the festival was done virtually, with the works being filmed for audiences to watch at home. So, this is a special screening of the theatre play and the dance documentary adapted for filmmed format to be experienced for one night only at The Bioscope. The perfect collaboration of film, dance and theatre.

The play IGAMA? narrates the story of five women who live in a well-behaved South African community. The aim is to see if the women can break out of the stereotype or whether they conform to the boxed post-colonial South African Society. Mthembu explores the complexities of being a black woman living in the post-colonial world by collapsing habitual, chronological, and often one-dimensional narrative structures depicting black women and their lives. Thus, the themes that are explored within the play experiment with fragmented memories of black women, which move backward and forward. The play starts in the present, moves to the past, before going back to the present. It then ventures into the future before entering the present again to highlight how certain terrible experiences women go through are hidden in their memory and how they get triggered to come back. This was done to epicentre themes such as gender-based violence, femicide, sexual violence, abuse, child rape, loss of memory, marriage, culture, the politics of language, and white supremacy. 

Lesedi: The Rise of Lulu Mlangeni is a documentary film which provides a window to Standard Bank Young Artist Lulu Mlangeni’s journey into dance. From her beginnings at Dorah’s Dancers after school classes in Soweto, to working with the prominent Vuyani Dance Company, Lesedi: The Rise of Lulu Mlangeni is a thoughtful reflection on an artist’s talent and dedication brought into the light.  Shot as an ode to what shapes us, to a city alive, Mabu Art Foundation brings a bold and revering lens to Lulu Mlangeni’s story.

COVID POLICY AND PROCEDURE.

The new Bioscope location is set to be a 47 seater cinema. We are however only selling 23 seats in order for there to be space to sit apart from other members of the public. We ask you to please keep your mask on the entire time within the cinema premises. Drinks and snacks will be on sale and can be consumed during the film, but please consider those around you when your mask is off for this. 44 Stanley is largely an open air shopping centre, and The Bioscope has a great outside space directly outside the cinema that public can make use of. Within the cinema, we will also make use of temperature reading, air filtering, and constant cleaning to make sure that The Bioscope remains a safe and hygienic experience.

After purchasing tickets, if you experience any COVID related symptoms, or come into contact with anyone who has tested positive, we ask you to please not attend the screening. Please understand that The Bioscope will not be able to refund you this ticket. We are happy however for you to give your ticket to someone else that can attend. If this is not possible, we would be happy to exchange your ticket for a future screening. This can all be coordinated via email at [email protected]