HOUSEBOY
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
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2022-11-17 00:00:00 2022-11-20 00:00:00 - REDCAT, Los Angeles - USA
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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