The Castle in Kyalami was the venue, David Kau was the MC, the cast and crew for the next two Shakespeare in Mzansi shows were the guests of honor as Mzansi fo sho launched the shows.
As usual, I wanna thank the relevant peeps –
Shugs, thanks Gal! Next time, be there!
Dimago, Thank you so much, my friend for entrusting me with the usage (borrowing me) of your camera… You are a star, my dear!
Phillip, Thank you for making me feel at home... You are a great asset to Mzansi Fo Sho
King K and Prince K… You are my alles!
Mzansi fo sho (SABC 1) is pulling all the stops for their mini-series Shakespeare in Mzansi stories. True to the Shakespearean theme;
UGugu No Andile (based on
Romeo and Juliet) and
The Death Of A Queen (based on
Macbeth) were launched in grand Victorian style at The Castle in Kyalami. The stars of the shows came out dressed to thrill and readily smiling to the congratulations they would receive after the launch ended. As the guests arrived they were ushered in by Shakespeare dames and gentlemen.
David Kau with UGugu No AndileChris Rock’s fave Mzansi comedian, David Kau, was the Master of ceremonies and kept us laughing the whole time. Damn, he’s good. Ok, better than good. He started by congratulating the show casts and crew for getting SABC 1 to sponsor a launch evening even though
Zone 14 has never had one. He then welcomed the guests, especially the media - big names like Lesley Mofokeng as he has just covered the Cannes festival with big Hollywood stars – rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous.
Kaos doing his Dugu-dugu thing
The Show We watched the first episode of
UGugu No Andile 20 minutes before the rest of South Africa and snippets of
The Death Of A Queen. I had brought my cynic hat with as I missed the first 2;
Entabeni and
Izingane Zo Baba. BUT I left a fan of the talent and the initiative that someone took with this
risk – and oh this was a risk! I am one of those people that missed the other stories because I believed Shakespeare was not ready to be conveyed in Mzansi, regardless of how local the feel is. I felt, and still strongly feel, that our own African writer’s are overlooked and should have been the focus before Shakespeare. Alas, I digress – without over-thinking my issues, I enjoyed the shows and will watch the rest of this mini-series.
UGugu No AndileI enjoyed the shows because they used a couple of new faces with real talent. We were not provided second rate shows with all the other faces we already know. There were a number of new faces that made me feel like a part of the story. Gugu and her family – the mother and the cousin (Mandla)! Talk about “control”. The camera shots also made you aware of the danger everyone was living under. It is beautifully made, I think.
The Death Of A Queen had amazing, let me emphasise
amazing, scenes but I would like to write up about it on a separate blog, as there is still 5 more weeks before
UGugu No Andile wraps up.
The Storyline for UGugu No Andile The story, as the press release states, is “set against the backdrop of the war that raged through South Africa” in 1993, “a year before the first democratic elections”. “The township of Thokoza is a hotbed of political violence”. Gugu Dlamini (Lungelo Dladla) is a young, sweet and innocent 16 year old girl from a Zulu-speaking family, with an over-protective mother. She is in the drum majorettes and could care less about politics. Andile Mcilongo (Litha Booi) is an 18 year old boy, ready for love (with a reputation for being a playa) is from a Xhosa speaking family, with doting parents. He is interested in photography and also has no interest in politics.
In the first episode, while Gugu and Andile pursue their passions they meet and fall in love at first sight. They subsequently meet at a party that Gugu, accompanied by Mandla (Jabulani Hadebe), is attending. Andile has been invited to take pictures by his friend Ras Benni Ngubeni (Breeze Yoko). Mandla finds the two young-uns dancing and reprimands both of them, dragging Gugu home. Andile dangerously follows them and gives Gugu two roses after Mandla leaves. The Mzansi Shakespeare balcony is a window with such thick burglar bars (lmbao) but it serves its purpose.
My favourites
I enjoyed the following scenes
When the 2 mamas came running to tell Busi (Harriet Manamela) to stay indoors but don’t give her enough information.. and then run off to their homes!
When Gugu is sitting by the door and her schoolmates come to tease her on her mother’s protective behaviour… the hairstyles on this scene!! Sho!
Gugu’s teacher! Need I say more… them glasses! The accent or tone! free calls on weekend!!
When Gugu and Andile are playing the balcony scene and touching through the glass… Oh Romeo, Oh Romeo where for art thou? Ha haha !
In the next episode: Ras is dragged into Andile’s love situation.