Greg Homann, dramaturg of the play “Under the Shade of a Tree I Sat and Wept” and Artistic Director of The Market Theatre in Johannesburg—where the production will run from April 9 to 19—speaks in an interview for the South African radio program RSG FM about his collaboration, his experience in Kosovo, and several deeper aspects of the play.

Reflecting on the form and tone of the work, he explains:
“It’s a really playful work, although it’s dealing with very, very serious themes, so there’s a kind of irreverence in the work. It starts as you might think a documentary drama based on testimonies of the TRC and of blood killings might start, so it begins with actors on stage retelling the story as characters, about the history of these moments, but then it shifts and becomes a kind of play within a play.”

He further highlights the visual and stylistic richness of the production:
“It (the play) evokes some sense of cabaret and vaudeville style, is beautifully visual, and has two live camera feeds on stage, which project images of the actors. It also includes some footage from the periods that we are talking about. It is a very rich and complex piece that lasts about 80 minutes, and it is a very absorbing, moving, and playful piece around very, very serious national issues.”

Regarding his experience in Kosovo and the collaboration with the team, he adds:
"It was a hugely successful experience. The collaboration was incredibly caring, full of care for the work, respect for the work, and trying to understand each other’s culture; there was a sense of collaboration that emerged very, very quickly, and Blerta Neziraj, who directed the work, helped that for us. And it was a very productive and enriching experience, I think, for the actors and for the cultural exchange in a very genuine way."

For more, listen to the full interview, in which the questions are in Afrikaans and the answers are given in English.