Tshepang was written by Lara Foot Newton and was first performed in South Africa in 2003. Tshepang is based on the true story of a nine month baby that is brutally raped in Louisvaleweg, which is a small town in the Northern Cape.
I enjoyed this play and was fascinated by the how the director used symbolism to portray many aspects of the play. The play consists of two actors. The female actor, Ruth, who we later learn is the mother of baby Tshepang, has only one line in the play, which is spoken at the very end of the play, her line is, 'Tshepang.' The silence of the mother throughout the play is eerie and is heightened by the contrast of the man, Simon, always speaking while the mother only uses occasional actions to show her feelings.
The set design of the play was very clever, and had lots of interesting things to capture the audiences attention. Another aspect that I found interesting is that every part of the set symbolizes something and every set piece is used. The set consisted of a salt heap which became Ruth's psychological area as she always returned to this spot when she felt threatened or wanted to feel safe. The symbolism of the salt could be that salt cleanses you and cleans you and that Ruth wants to be cleaned of the horrible deed that happened to her daughter. The constant rubbing of the salt is in a way, Ruth's way of talking. The set also has a bed, a seat where Simon makes his models and a group of small houses.
Throughout Tshepang, a recurring line is always, 'Nothing much happens here.' This is ironic as the play shows that no matter in how much of an isolated place you are in, something horrible can always happen. This play also brings to light that horrible things can happen anywhere and that we need to be aware of them so that we can try to prevent these horrible things from happening.
In the play baby Tshepang is first thought to have been raped by six men, but later in the play we learn that it was Ruth's boyfriend. It is shocking that a mother would pay such little attention to her baby that it is able to get raped. As a sacrifice to her daughter and as a sign that Ruth has found herself unworthy to be a mother she brutally cuts her own breast off. The cutting off of a breast is symbolic, as a woman's breast is what enables her to be able to feed her child, and without a breast you will not be able to feed your child and therefore be unable to look after your baby. It is Simon who finds Ruth in her house passed out from the cutting off of her breast, and it is him who takes Ruth to hospital.
Once Ruth is out of the hospital, Simon takes it upon himself to look after Ruth, and a co-dependant relationship forms between the two, where Simon needs Ruth as he loves her, and Ruth needs Simon as she needs someone to look after her. The relationship that forms between them is such that one can not survive without the other.
The costume in this play is very simple and plain, all except for one item which is a bed that Ruth carries on her back. The bed represents that Ruth carries a burden physically. The bed also represents the place where she had sex, the beginning of her troubles.
The raping of baby Tshepang is symbolized by simon thrusting a broken broom handle into a loaf of bread which symbolizes the baby. I found this very effective and it left me shocked at how brutal rape can be.
This play is a protest play, which is protesting for people to prevent the rape of children and adults alike. It brings to light a very serious issue and opens the audiences eyes to what happens in the world. It is designed so as to give the audience something to think about.
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