DANCE – PERFORMANCE – MUSIC
Despite the tragic passing of Dada Masilo at the end of 2024, the company intends to continue to present her HAMLET. Weeks before her death, she admitted that it is a work she would rather watch than perform.During the rehearsals and performances in Vienna, Hamburg and Antwerp, in 2025, Dada Masilo rehearsed in two of the company’s woman dancers to cover her role. It was her intention to minimize the number of performances that she would personally deliver.
This next chapter in 2026, is led by long-time collaborator Llewellyn Mnguni, who performs Gertrude and serves as Associate Choreographer, working with the original and new cast to honour and extend Dada’s bold artistic legacy.
Dada Masilo’s HAMLET features eleven dancers of the company in addition to two actors and three musicians. The music has been created by Thuthuka Sibisi, in collaboration with Masina, Mapholo and Mothiba.
Within the play, Masilo has identified themes that will bring clarity to the audience and drive the action. Amongst the themes are: ‘things are not what they seem’,‘people say what they do not mean’ and betrayal: old Hamlet by his brother; Ophelia by Hamlet; Gertrude, of her husband’s memory; Hamlet by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Polonius.
Masilo invariably employs androgyny andgender fluidity in her works. In Shakespeare’stime, men and boys played women’s roles, buthere, some women will also play men’s roles. Masilo’s task as choreographer is to transform Shakespeare’s wordiest play into a contemporary and universally understood piece of theatre, utilising dance, music and text. In Shakespeare’s play, much of the context is known in retrospect through soliloquys and conversations. In this work, the context and relationships will be made clear early on, eliminating the need for so many, many words!
On initial reading of the text, Masilo found much of it very amusing: the spying and intrigue, the chaos. She says: ‘Hamlet is a dark work, but within that, there is dark humour’. She has created a work of elegance with regards to costumes and movement, looking at how royalty and retinue would conduct themselves within a court situation.
The music is acoustic: a nod to the music of Shakespeare’s time, whilst echoing the time and place of creation
Her HAMLET is set in urban South Africa.
Duration : 60 – 70 minutes
CREDITS
Dada Masilo’s HAMLET
Choreographer : Dada Masilo
Composers : Leroy Mapholo, Ann Masina, Mpho Mothiba
Actors : Aphiwe Dike, Albert Khoza
Dancers : Dada Masilo, Sinazo Bokolo, Julia Burnham, Lehlohonolo Madise, Thandiwe Mqokeli, Eutychia Rakaki, Leorate Dibatana, Thuso Lobeko, Songezo Mcilizeli, Steven Mokone, Tshepo Zasekhaya.
Musicians: Leroy Mapholo, Ann Masina/Khayakazi Madlala, Mpho Mothiba
Acting Coach : Dorothy Ann Gould
photos © Lauge Sorensen