Story of Nongqawuse comes to Guild Theatre

Africa Creations is set to stageThe Rise and Fall of the African Gospel: Nongqawuseat the Guild Theatre from February 25 to 26. The musical theatre production, created, written and directed by Mbongeni Moroke, is described as a theatrical prayer rooted in African creation and divine calling. Africa Creations spokesperson Siyaya Koos said this would mark the production’s 10th run, having previously been staged at major venues including the Joburg Theatre.

“This is not our first presentation of the play, but each time we stage it, we deepen the conversation around Nongqawuse and the history of our people. He said the choice of the Guild Theatre was deliberate, as the story was deeply connected to the Eastern Cape. “The Guild Theatre provides a dignified platform for a story that resonates strongly within the Eastern Cape, where Nongqawuse’s legacy was historically maligned,” he said.

The play revisits one of the most debated and painful chapters in the province’s history — the prophecy of Nongqawuse — exploring how faith, colonial pressure, prophecy and survival collided to reshape a nation’s destiny. Through music, movement and storytelling, the production confronts the spiritual and historical tensions of the 1800s. It asks difficult but necessary questions about belief, power and consequence, while encouraging audiences to reflect on how history has been told and retold over generations.

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“The production is built on three fundamental phases: history, indigenous traditions and spirituality,” Koos said. “These elements provide audiences with a clearer understanding of life in the 1800s and the context in which the prophecy unfolded.”

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