Hillbrow Theatre's latest devised work is directed by the skilful Gcebile Dlamini, choreographed by Sibusiso Hadebe with Paul Noko as the dramaturge.

In My Mother's Womb is an evocative story of resilience, spirituality and hope. The play offers an intimate look into what it is like to live with blindness. Drawing from personal stories of the inter-generational cast of youngsters and the elderly, Dlamini challenges the audience to suspend the privilege of sight and use other senses to experience how the blind perceive the world. The production is in collaboration with Tswelopele Frail Care Centre and the Johannesburg Society for the Blind.

To awaken one’s spirituality, Dlamini says we all need to crawl back to our mother’s womb and acknowledge our complex existence. She experiments with the womb as the metaphor of darkness and asks the following questions: does one live with generational curses? Does the spirit world exist? Can hope keep one alive? Can tragedy turn into a blessing?

Dlamini says “we learn the true meaning of dreams and hope through the blind. They can touch what we cannot. After every rehearsal of this work I ask myself, what kind of world could we inhabit if we all took the time to understand the world’s forgotten senses.” Through the exploration of blindness, this play is an example of the endless possibilities of how one can express oneself differently in the absence of sight.

In My Mother’s Womb is an innovative performance that we hope will incite engagement and conversation around re-imagining blindness in our communities.

Entrance is free. But booking is advised. 

Donations online or on the day are welcome.