Award-winning Eastern Cape theatre company Ubom! celebrates its tenth anniversary today (24 February) with an infusion of new faces, fresh energy and a view of consolidating their award-winning efforts of the past decade.
Establishing itself as the forerunner of Eastern Cape development theatre since its creation in 2003, Ubom! welcomes a new resident director and cast members in its aim to develop, grow, and maintain a thriving arts environment in the Eastern Cape.
According to new Resident Director Rob Murray, the Eastern Cape is a region historically disadvantaged in this regard. “We understand that part of the brain drain that happened in the Eastern Cape was felt in theatre. So much skill, potential and talent was lost to the Eastern Cape,” he said, citing a 2010 National Arts Council statistic which ranks the Eastern Cape as the lowest for schools that offer drama. As such the group works to develop audiences, community groups and professionals in the area, creating performances that are dynamic, relevant, accessible, taboo-breaking and of the highest theatrical calibre.
Co-founder and Artistic Director of FTH: K (from the Hip: Khulumakahle) for seven years, Mr Murray is renowned for his ground-breaking work in visual theatre, creating various award-winning pieces. Pictures of You was the top-selling theatre production on Grahamstown’s National Arts Festival Fringe programme in 2009, winner of two Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, and a Standard Bank Ovation Award; Benchmarks featured on the 2011 National Arts Festival Main and was awarded a Handspring Puppet Company Award; and Womb Tide which was nominated for two Fleur du Cap Awards and a handful of Naledi Awards.
A former Rhodes University drama graduate, Mr Murray assumed the post of resident director in early January and is relishing being back in Grahamstown. He believes this year will see exciting new developments for the company which he hopes will create awareness of Ubom!’s efforts and presence in the community. “We are very active in the community and we hope people will understand who we are and what we do. This way they can become involved in our family and we can become more involved in theirs,” he said.
While the organisation’s focus remains on local communities Murray said they also incorporate a broad view and are mindful about their role in South African society, with their aim being to facilitate community upliftment, conscientisation and behavioural change. “We are constantly asking ourselves how we can grow to benefit Rhodes University, Grahamstown, the Eastern Cape and South Africa,” he said.
Another new addition to the organisation is actress Liezl de Kock, also hailing from the Mother City and FTH:K, who received a nomination for the Fleur du Cap Best Actress award in 2010 for her role as the mother in Womb Tide and has been Murray’s constant creative partner for the last few years.
The group are currently launching the campaign of “My Heart Beats UBOM!”, intended to cement its reputation as the premiere independent theatre company in the Eastern Cape and act as an aspirational model for all the talent that is out there. “We are working with the concept that at our core our hearts belong to Ubom! and we are launching ourselves with pride,” said Mr Murray.
Over the years, Ubom! has scooped many prestigious awards, including a Gold Impumelelo Poverty Relief Award, two Standard Bank Ovation Awards (including one silver), and a Handspring Puppet Company Award. The group has toured all over the country, presenting work from social interventions, to environmental awareness, as well as their lauded collaborations with artists Andrew Buckland (Breed), Jori Snell (Door), and companies such as First Physical Theatre Company (Wreckage).
Ubom! will be launching their tenth Anniversary celebrations on Friday 24 February at the Box Theatre at 19h00.
By Sarah-Jane Bradfield
Photo: Ubom! Resident Director Rob Murray
Photo: supplied