Fifty years have passed since Port Elizabeth based actors, John Kani and Winston Ntshona, made history by winning the Tony Award. Now two, young, Gqeberha based actors, Anele Penny and Xabiso Zweni, directed by Xabiso Zweni are bringing this classic alive.
Sizwe Banzi is Dead tells the story of Styles, an intelligent, capable, and talented man who leaves his job as a factory worker to follow his dream of owning a photography studio. Styles pursues his talent with a camera to preserve the faces and identities of his people, who would otherwise be forgotten by the rest of the world. The play also tells the story of Sizwe Banzi, a man condemned by his government to a life of poverty.
Production Credits
Written by: Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona
Co-producer: Zukiswa Cakucaku
Directed by: Xabiso Zweni
Performed by: Anele Penny and Xabiso Zweni
About the Artists
Anele Penny
Anele Penny is a South African actor and praise poet. He is best known for his portrayal of Councilor Nimba Ngamlana in Gqeberha The Empire Season 1 and Season 2 on Mzansi Magic Channel 161. Before that role he was part of Mhlobo Wenene FM’s Radio Drama (Ithini Na Le Nto?... Leyo Yimfihlelo Yobom!) and has portrayed plenty of characters in EC and South African Theatre at large.
Anele was born into a modest household on the 29th July in 1980 in Peddie in the Eastern Cape in South Africa. Anele started and completed his secondary school and passed Matric at Sobantu Senior Secondary School. After completing his high school education, he had to stay at home for three years due to financial problems, until his elder brother was able to send him to Lovedale Public FET College, where he trained and qualified for Advanced Certificate in Performing Arts in 2005. After obtaining his certificate, he went on to qualify and obtained an Associate Diploma from Trinity Guildhall College London, through Stageworld Theatre School.
Whilst still at Stageworld he had his professional Theatre debut at the National Arts Festival (Makhanda), playing a troubled policeman in Love Is Never Enough written by Monde Ngonyama. Since then, he has performed in numerous productions, working with some of the great names in theatre spaces, including the late, great Mama Nomhle Nkonyeni. Some of the plays he has been part of include Veil, playing a Somali Refugee, Ghost of Glenmore, playing Velile an unstoppable activist, Strictly Come Bankrupt, playing Bribri an unpredictable gay man, Buzani Kubawo (a Xhosa classic) playing Zwilakhe, a backward and stubborn old man. He joined the Umhlobo Wenene Drama Team in 2008, playing in their Short Series and has been part of their Award winning Radio Soapie since 2012, playing the focused Mqokeleli. He was part of The Tyrant, which won a Standard Bank Ovation Award at NAF in 2024. He also performed in the classics, The Island and Sizwe Bansi Is Dead in St. Stephen’s Hall in New Brighton in 2024. Anele Penny has also starred as Phopho in Ekhondweni, a short film that was produced by Mpuma Kapa TV in 2021.
Xabiso Zweni
Xabiso Zweni is a multiple award-winning writer, actor and director who has managed to cross over genres such as music, dance and theatre. He has presented work in Belgium, Holland and Germany as both director and actor. He’s also worked as Artistic Producer at Mandela Bay Theatre Complex for six years. He is currently Artistic Director at Taji Arts and Drama Facilitator at Masifunde Learner Development.
- Venue: Centenary Hall
- Location: St Andrews College
- Ticket price: ZAR 130.00
- Programme type: Curated Programme
- Genre: Theatre
- Duration: 65 minutes
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Ages:
PG (PARENTAL GUIDANCE)
