Delela

• delela (verb): to be disrespectful, cheeky, rude, out of line.

Following an explosive premiere at the 2022 National Arts Festival, Delela, a new South African satire that conducts a ruthless audit of racial and economic privilege through vanity philanthropy comes to the Baxter Theatre for a limited season from 6 to 16 September 2023.

Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni (best known for the award-winning, Sainthood) directs an electric cast starring Daniel Barney Newton (Shadowboxing, The Visigoths), Katlego Lebogang (Wounds, Jiva), Frances Sholto-Douglas (The Kissing Booth, Fatal Seduction) and Fadzai Simango (Raised by Wolves, The Lincoln Project).

Delela follows the story of The Strauss-Smith Foundation, one of South Africa’s oldest and wealthiest private charitable foundations as they embark on an ambitious ‘transformation and diversity’ project. The transformation project, which is managed by the heirs to the Strauss-Smith family fortune (played by Newton and Sholto-Douglas), proves tumultuous when a new diversity hire (Lebogang) challenges the family’s sense of responsibility towards the project and a public relations disaster ensues.

The Delela play text was first developed with the support of the Baxter Theatre Centre.
Delela premiered on the Main Stage of the 2022 National Arts Festival with the generous support of the National Arts Festival.