Third year students at the Durban University of Technology's Drama and Production Studies Department will have the opportunity to showcase their acting abilities in a new musical by Scuffysession Productions.
“The Scent of Change” is written and directed by Dr Verne Rowin Munsamy.
It weaves together a romantic love story during pre-democracy in South Africa, where the waters of integration were tested in the public schools of Chatsworth.
Zenneth Cibane is the musical director with Niwake Jama as musical producer and Mdu Mtshali as choreographer.
The production forms part of the third year course which allows students to perform on a professional platform.
“The Scent of Change” looks into the experimentation of integration of Indian and Black learners during the late 80s and early 90s.
The integration occurred after nearly 40 years of segregation.
“It’s a nostalgic look into my own history. My school was one of those schools in Chatsworth that was selected for the integration of Black students,” said Munsamy.
It also looks at how the Indian community dealt with the integration.
“It’s a very important time in our history. Nobody talks about it,” he added.
“Everybody talks about how freedom came about with the release of Nelson Mandela ... The big moments, but before all that, these waters were being tested in Chatsworth and Umlazi.
“It could have gone horribly wrong, but thankfully it didn’t. So for me, it is a very important story to tell,” he shared.
The production tells the story of the romantic love story of Preshni, a teenage Indian girl who is top of her class, and James, a young black student who is introduced into the Indian school.
“It conveys the uncertainty and prejudice of the time while also highlighting the lingering hope for a united country,” said Munsamy.
Aside from the theme of love, other significant themes that run through the story are hatred, racism, integration, loss, friendship and community.
“The love story is fictional, but it is just to give the audience something to feel good about. A lot of us made friends with the black students and then they were only around for a year or two and then they disappeared.
“We’ve never seen them again, that’s because they tested the waters and by the 90s, they pulled the students out of the school and sent them back into their own communities.
“It reflects the themes of my own losses in friendships. Some characters are based on my own school friends whom I never saw again.”
The stage show features original music and lyrics scribed by Munsamy as well as original compositions that are produced by Cibane and Jama.
“I wrote about eight songs. It’s my first time writing a musical and music. I wrote the lyrics and Zenneth Cibane translated some of it to isiZulu and other indigenous languages. One of the students also assisted with music compositions. So it’s a collaborative effort that’s bringing fun, entertainment and this tragic story to the theatre all at the same time.”
The cast is made up of 52 students who Munsamy said are eager to go out into the professional world.
“There are four performances so each student gets two performances each, but all 52 students are on stage every night.
“There is also a live band to accompany the performers. This is a culmination of all the skills that the students have acquired during their time in the lecture halls and Performance studios of DUT.”
Munsamy urged people to come out and watch the show.
“It’s important for us to support live performance. A lot of us are stuck on TikTok and short videos, but it’s important for us to find our way back to the theatre ... Secondly, it’s a musical, I love a good musical.
“It has got song, dance, acting and a romantic story. It’s also looking at a very historical moment in South Africa, so it’s educational too,” he ended.
Where: The Courtyard Theatre at the Durban University of Technology.
When: October 28 to 31.
Cost: Tickets are R50. Students, pensioners and children pay R30. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by contacting Bawinile on 031 373 2194 or email BawinileM1@dut.ac.za.