South African playwright and director Mpumelelo Paul Grootboom whose work has gained him the nickname ›Township Tarantino‹, looks in ›It’s a rhetorical question‹ into his homelands recent past. He describes the fall of the intellectual president Thabo Mbeki, told through the speeches of the inflammatory young politician Daniel “Dada“ Mokone. This fictional character is based on real-life firebrand politician and leader of the ANC Youth Leaugue, Juliusw Malema, whom some have labeled a “reckless populist” and “demagogue”, and is touted by others to be the future President of the country.

Through the channel of Dada’s lively persona, Grootboom enables a young generation of South Africans to comment on their country’s political past.

Credits

Text and direction: Mpumelelo Paul Grootboom

Production: Kaaitheater (Brussels), Siemens Stiftung, The Market Theater (Johannesburg)

Co-production: Goethe-Institut South-Africa

The performance at PACT Zollverein is made possible by the support of the Ministry for Families, Children, Youth, Culture and Sports of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.