(W)ASEM Comes to Alexander Upstairs

(W)asem is 'n eenmanstuk werkswinkel produksie wat handel oor die speler en regisseur se eie ervarings met diskriminasie. Deur die allegorie van asem en sy vele vlakke in die mens word gedigte en stories verweef om twee kulture, twee velklere en een seksualiteit van twee jong mans weer te gee. Die gehoor word op 'n treinrit geneem deur ons kleurvolle tog donker land, 'n treinrit wat jou sal laat voel, skaterlag en nadink oor die voorregte, boksies, woorde en persepsies wat ons skei as mense.

Albertze and Makapan were motivated to create this piece after both of them were involved in a racist incident in Stellenbosch earlier this year. In the viral video we see Makapan with a bloodied nose, declare that he had just been punched in the face by a young white male. Said male had used a racial slur against Makapan and his friends and when confronted about it, became enraged. Despite not provoking this individual, Makapan still received some backlash on social media, prompting him and Albertze to question the validity of one's voice in these instances Thus began their allegory of feeling breathless. Voiceless. "Waar is my asem?" The production explores various occasions in which the writers felt they didn't have a voice and tell their individual stories with the help of a few balloons. The play is full of dark humour, addressing social injustices and highlighting the importance of expressing yourself no matter how impossible it may feel. This mainly Afrikaans production by Du Toit Albertze and Terence Makapan mixes white Afrikaner culture with coloured Afrikaner culture.

Du Toit Albertze:

Du Toit Albertze is from the town Springbok, Namakwaland and is currently completing his third year at Stellenbosch University (BA Drama: Scriptwriting). Albertze has steadily been making a name for himself in the industry ,most notably when he won a WoordTROfee for Best New Artist at the 2017 Woordfees. His production Kommapunt can be seen at the 2018 Woordfees. Other productions feauturing Albertze include: (W))asem, Steriel, I love you, Sally Field, Vaselinetjie and Bos. He is also a spoken word poet at the die Inzync Poetry Sessions and occasionally hosts writing workshops.

Terence Makapan:

Makapan graduated from the Waterfront Theatre College in 2015 where he majored in Musical Theatre. His debut production Kinders van die Wind, which he wrote and directed, had done the rounds at various local festivals like the Cape Town Fringe Festival (2016) and Suidoosterfees (2017). Makapan has also recently branched out to film, shooting his first documentary earlier in 2017. "The Invisibles" explored some of the struggles that homeless people in Cape Town face on a daily basis.

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