Kasi Stories: Stories not Often Told tells the story of Xola and Thabo's friendship. We see the two young men at different stages of their lives though the play, as the boys move further apart economically it's their shared reality of failed fatherhood which both hold their friendship together and threatens to tear it apart. The two friends consistently come to blows about the matter as neither of them truly understands what the other is going through. Thabo wishes he had a Dad living in his house as his mother often changes men. Xola wishes he didn’t have a father and that he and his mother were safe. Kasi Stories asks pertinent questions about the failure of the father figure in the South African context.

About Drama for Life Creative Research Hub
Drama for Life Creative Research Hub is the new multi-purpose performance laboratory, conversation hotspot and resource centre dedicated to cutting-edge creative, empirical and conventional research in the heart of Braamfontein.

About Drama for Life
Drama for Life is a global leader in an integrated approach to arts for social transformation and healing. This unique centre, based at the University of the Witwatersrand, brings together academic, research and local and international projects to explore, serve and grow the role of arts for social change.

Drama for Life is an active leader in providing performances, arts-based interventions, and accredited workshops and trainings throughout the SADC region for partners and leading arts festivals.

Team Biographies:

Benjamin Bell

In 2012 Benjamin graduated with an Honours degree in Directing and Performance at the University of Witwatersrand. Ben's primary creative focus is Theatre-Making, some of his highlights include directing Suzan Lori Park’s Pulitzer Prize winning Topdog/Underdog for his final directing presentation at Wits in 2011 and he won the Percy Tucker Prize for best director for his efforts. His production Somewhere over the Rainbow a collaborative piece which explores the many faces of contemporary Johannesburg received positive responses at Arts Alive 2013. Recently, Benjamin curated and directed a trio of adapted Chekhov classics which premiered at the Johannesburg Theatre in May 2015. Ben has an interest in writing for the stage and has penned two plays (The Crayon Tower 2013, Love in a Cardboard Box 2014). He has a passion for the collaborative process and a personal vision of bringing great writing back to South African Theatre. Ben joined Drama for Life in 2014 and now heads up the theatre and live performance portfolio which includes managing Drama for Life’s Creative Research Hub and various Drama for Life arts festivals.

Lebogang Mphahlele
Lebogang Mphahlele (32) studied at Stageworld Theatre School and obtained a Certificate in Speech and Drama and then continued to go and study at AFDA JHB and obtained a Bachelors Degree in Live Performance. He has worked extensively in Children's Theatre productions at the Peoples Theatre. During that period he also worked in the TV industry and had small roles in productions such as Noah's Ark, Blind Ambitions, Task Force, Him, Her and the Guys and more recently Scandal. Theatre has always been his love and apart from Children's Theatre Productions he's performed in  The Good Candidate which was at the Suidoosterfees in Cape Town as well as working for PAST (The Paleontological Scientific Trust) which deals with the teaching of evolution to Matric students in the Gauteng and Limpopo Province. Apart from being an actor he has also put his fingers in other pie's, donning the hat of Director and translating The Proposal an Anton Chekhov play. He also translated The Bear. This is his first original play that he has written thanks to the help of Benjamin Bell and Thulani Mtsweni. 

Thulani Mtsweni
Thulani Mtsweni born in 1987 on the 12th of March in the eastern part of Johannesburg. It was during in his schooling days that Thulani decided he wanted to be an actor, after matric he went to Lovelife and volunteered for two years. In 2009 he participated in an Industrial theatre piece for Department of Home Affairs which toured Gauteng. Thulani’s film and theatre credits include: The Good Candidate directed by Andre Stolz, a Skrillex music video, Primal directed by Tshepo Ratona at the South African State Theatre, The Proposal directed by Lebohang Mphahlele, The Bear directed by Benjamin Bell, WitsOweek production directed by Benjamin Bell, Inn Time directed by Tshepo Ratona at NAF, Kowethu directed by Rolie Nikiwe, Vodacom advert and Infidel direct by Tshepo Ratona at the Stop Crime Festival.

Audience Responses

Very authentic and thought provoking.

It is deep and relevant. A poignant message about perception vs reality. The actors expertly brought the message accross.

An absolute breathe of fresh air; a piece that is raw, hilarious and boldly telling of the often unspoken truth of the abusively absent father in the black home

Very authentic and thought provoking.