Be a Better Dog

Alex pop art dog22.jpg

5.00 (1)

Be a Better Dog

2 performances between Oct. 8, 2018 and Oct. 9, 2018
Theatre
Starring Seiphemo Motswiri Written by Makhubalo Ikaneng
60mins
“Be A Better Dog” tells a tale of Dog’s life while at the same time we get to see the world we live in through the eyes of a dog. The play uses humour and light commentary to speak to otherwise sensitive issues of class, care and abandonment as applied and taken up by the human being in an attempt to tackle life challenges.

This one man show raises questions, challenging humans to introspect offering commentary on social issues. As a dog he grapples with questions such as to what extent is he a happy animal, and to what extent is he a traumatized orphan of human caused condition? Is any of it his own making and what power did he as dog have to change the situation? These are poignant questions that are relevant to a human world that is at crossroads with questions of destructive violence, corruption, injustice, racial discrimination, lack of care to the planet in and its inhabitants in general. In life we strive to be better human beings, but what does it mean to be better? And what does it take to be better?

Catch “Be A Better Dog” at P.O.P Art Theatre from 8-9 October before going to the Unites Solo Theatre Festival in New York

Starring Seiphemo Motswiri
Written by Makhubalo Ikaneng

Tickets are R 100 online. R 120 at the door.
Tickets at www.popartcentre.co.za

Seiphemo Motswiri is a Wits University (DFL) alumni with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Drama. He is an applied theatre practitioner, director, writer, actor, playback theatre actor and a drama teacher. He is the founding member of African Tree Productions a community based art organization that uses theatre as an educational tool. He started acting at church at the age of 14 when he acted in the story of Jesus Christ, which sparked his evident talent. After he matriculated, he went to study performing arts with FUBA School of Arts. After completing his studies he worked as a stage actor. Some of the plays he performed in, includes “Crime Personnel” directed by Zakes Mofokeng; “Novaland”, a collaboration between Tribes Projects (USA) and Soweto youth Drama society directed by J. Paul, an American film and Theatre director; “Once Bitten” directed by a German writer and director Oula Styzen, produced by German Goethe Institute; Julius Caesar directed by the legendary David Denis & Dorothy Ann Gould which performed at Joburg Theatre; Oretestia Ubuntu which was a collaboration between African Tree Productions and Tribes Projects in USA, Obituary Directed by Kgosana Thekwane which performed at Windybrow, The Bones Are Still Calling directed by Seputla Sebogodi; Black Box directed by Vusi Msani, Be A Better Dog and Seperekisi by Katlego Letsholonyane. He was part of the creations of “Shadows of Metsi” a shadow based performance about water which was collaboration between Cave Dogs (USA) and Sibikwa Art Centre.


His TV work includes Generation (SABC), Isidingo (SABC), Sokhulu & Partners (SABC), Bitso Lebe ke Seromo (SABC), Cast The First Stone (MNET), Secrets (MNET), Not in my house (Etv), Lobola (Etv), Hustle cameo role (Etv), Sticks & Stones cameo role (SABC) AND Pele Pele Tree (MNET). He starred in a film “Kitchen Girl” which was created by Makhobalo Ikaneng for 16 days against children and woman abuse. He was nominated for Ellen Stewart International Award 2018 with other 10 theatre practitioners from around the world.  Ellen Stewart International Award is given to an individual theatre artist or company whose work promotes social change and community participation with particular focus on the engagement of young people. He got best director award for directing the internationally acclaimed show “The System”, which also performed at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013 (Scotland) where it received Five Stars Reviews and Wan Smolbag 25th International Festival (Vanuatu Island). The show was part of Main Stream program for The South African State Theatre 2017 where it was nominated for Naledi Theatre Awards for Best Ensemble. “The System” won 2015 Standard Bank Ovation Award at Grahamstown Arts Festival. He also directed “A Gift from God” which won GOMMAC Best Ensemble award and Second Best Production in Gauteng Province. He also directed shows like “Magadi” and “No Horns No party” with Sibikwa Students. He wrote “Little Voice from the Grave” which was directed by the Monageng Vice Motshabi. He was an acting Mentor for Soze Project 2004, which was a Cultural Exchange and collaboration between Kalaneng Arts Tracks and the University of California (Los Angeles) drama department. 

He has also done Industrial Theatre and Puppetry work for Miracles Productions using animal characters to communicate the message of the power of knowledge related to chronic diseases to the high school learners. He also did industrial theatre ofr Win Win Group, Wellness Theatre, L Shape Productions and African Tree Productions where he use Applied Drama Methods to teach young people how theatre can be used to address social issues. Seiphemo also uses applied theatre as way of creating dialogue around issues affecting communities and workers, some of the shows he created for learning outcomes are “What are you deciding”, “Little Voice from the grave”, “Ignorance”, “I told you so” and “Disability”. He Directed a short film “Emotions” and a PSA on HIV/Aids after completing film and production training at Consulting Dynamics. He also directed a documentary called African Time. He currently teaches Drama at Sibikwa Art Centre. 

Audience Responses

I loved the creativity with regard to the storylines and the use of a single box. Physical, interesting and great to see South African society seen through the eyes of a truly neutral party. I loved it.