|Naeb/ Naelstring is a powerful theatrical journey that explores the struggle for identity, belonging, and memory within the Nama community of the Richtersveld. At the heart of the story is Badas, a young woman searching for her missing child—an echo of a people searching for their lost sense of self. Guided by #Khammas, a wise and ancient midwife, the play unearths the deep scars left by colonisation, land dispossession, and cultural erasure.
Blending myth, memory, and ancestral wisdom, |Naeb/ Naelstring invites audiences into a world where history lives in the body and voice of its people. Through poetic storytelling, powerful imagery, and emotional resonance, the play becomes a cry for restoration—a call to remember who we are when everything has tried to make us forget.
This is a story about reclaiming what was stolen, healing what was silenced, and reconnecting the umbilical cord between past and present. Bold, intimate, and deeply human, |Naeb/ Naelstring is a celebration of cultural survival and the unbreakable thread of identity.
Production Credits
PLAYWRIGHT AND DIRECTOR: Geralt Cloete
PRODUCTION MANAGERS:
Anthea Mouers
Luzaan Zandi
CAST:
Janica Bezuidenhout
Jayden Cloete
Jody-Ann Cloete
Lowyden De Klerk
Annaline Joseph
Diansca Obies
We acknowledge the Nama community of the Richtersveld—our ancestors and those who came before us—as collaborators in our creative process.
About the Artists
GERALT CLOETE (THEATRE-MAKER AND PRODUCER)
Geralt Cloete is a dynamic Director, Performer, Scriptwriter, and Applied Theatre Practitioner, renowned for his transformative work as the founder and director of Nama Khoi Productions. Holding a Master’s in Dramatic Arts and an Honours in Applied Drama from the University of the Witwatersrand, Geralt's creative vision is deeply rooted in the exploration of Home and Belonging. His passion for uplifting youth is evident in his approach as a theatre-maker, where he skilfully empowers young voices, providing them with a platform for expression and dialogue through the powerful medium of drama.
- Venue: PJ Quad
- Location: Hoerskool P.J. Olivier
- Ticket price: ZAR 75.00
- Programme type: The Fringe
- Genre: Theatre
- Duration: 45 minutes
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Ages:
ALL AGES
