Bongani Mbatha: Actor/Producer

Ralph Lawson: Director

Bongani Mbatha: Actor/Producer

Bongani Mbatha is an actor, writer, mentor, director, and an independent theatre producer. Mbatha previously delighted audiences in All Gone!, Maluju Zulu, Spice and Stuff, Ngicela Uxolo, Sophiatown, ZemQadini, Dusted Gold, Bigly Yuge, and his award-winning performance in Sweetie Darling. He has also appeared in a string of TV ads and on Uzalo, Imbewu, Sibongile and The Dlaminis, Durban Gen and many Mzansi Magic and Showmax dramas (Qhakaza, Forbidden Love, eHostela Season 1, KAYISE, Perfect Match and Sawubona We lLova).

Behind the scenes Mbatha wrote and directed plays like ALL GONE, THE MISSING HITMAN, ZISHAPHI?, DUSTED GOLD, and ABAPHANSI! He is also a teacher/facilitator working under ASSITEJ SA (SEF2 and SEF3) with his NPO (Gcinumelusi Arts Movement).

He has produced many shows under his company MOVING ACTS PRODUCTIONS, including ALL GONE! with performances in the following theatres: Stable Theatre, Catalina Theatre, Courtyard Theatre, Kcap, and Makhanda (NAF 2024 - 2017). ZEMQADINI was performed in Makhanda in 2022 and 2023 respectively, and in the Playhouse Loft (2024). DUSTED GOLD toured schools with The Playhouse and EThekwini Municipality in 2023 and 2024. BIGLY YUGE was performed at The Playhouse Loft in 2019 and 2021, and was recently staged at The South African State Theatre (April 2025). ABAPHANSI!, a Standard Bank Standing Ovation Winner (2024), was also staged at The Stable Theatre in September 2024.

Ralph Lawson: Director

Ralph Lawson is well known to South African audiences for his award-winning work both as an actor and a director. His career spans four decades, with landmark roles ranging from Shakespear's Hamlet to Mozart's AMADEUS and the Narrator in Sondheim's musical INTO THE WOODS.

He has taught widely, and is currently active in drama development programmes in Durban. His appearances in ALARMS AND EXCURSIONS and EQUUS for the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town won him awards as Best Actor and his portrayal of Professor Higgins in MY FAIR LADY for the Playhouse Company, won him a Durban Theatre Award as Best Actor in a Musical. He has directed a wide range of work from Shakespeare to musicals like THE SOUND OF MUSIC and CINDERELLA (Best Director Awards) and contemporary plays like Fugard's HELLO AND GOODBYE, Fiona Coyne's AS THE KOEKIE CRUMBLES and Gideon van Eeden's SRERIEL.

Recent projects for Durban's Playhouse Company include last season's acclaimed productions of WEST SIDE STORY and HANDEL'S MESSIAH.