Poster for ‘Burning Rebellion’ from 2019. Designed by Hankyeol Lee.
In 2019, Well Worn Theatre Company was so inspired by the School Strike 4 Climate Movement that we were moved to create a new play about Climate Justice.
We were struck by the bravery of young people around the world to organise themselves and to speak up against what they rightfully feel is a grave injustice to future generations. After all, it is young people who will be left to fix the mess created by those that came before them.
From this burning feeling, ‘Burning Rebellion’ was born: a 35-minute protest poem, written and performed by four amazing performing artists namely: Sanelisiwe Yekani, Lerato Sefoloshe, Mlindeli Zondi and Jaques De Silva and directed by Joni Barnard AKA Missy Phayafly.
We were struck by the bravery of young people around the world to organise themselves and to speak up against what they rightfully feel is a grave injustice to future generations. After all, it is young people who will be left to fix the mess created by those that came before them.
From this burning feeling, ‘Burning Rebellion’ was born: a 35-minute protest poem, written and performed by four amazing performing artists namely: Sanelisiwe Yekani, Lerato Sefoloshe, Mlindeli Zondi and Jaques De Silva and directed by Joni Barnard AKA Missy Phayafly.
ABOUT THE SHOW
‘With elements of Hip Hop, Spoken Word, movement and song, ‘Burning Rebellion’ is an ecological protest poem that gives voice to a profound sense of injustice, a rightful rage, and a fear of what is to come. From the next generations, the plea is simple: Governments! Politicians! Big Business! ‘Grown Ups’! Let’s fix this mess, before it is too late.’
The poem had a national tour in 2019, appearing at High Schools, Festivals, Marches and Direct Action events throughout South Africa. Schools’ performances were usually followed by a talkback session with the cast.
The poem had a national tour in 2019, appearing at High Schools, Festivals, Marches and Direct Action events throughout South Africa. Schools’ performances were usually followed by a talkback session with the cast.
SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT HOW & WHY WE MADE BURNING REBELLION
SO WHAT’S NEXT?
‘Burning Rebellion’ will tour again in 2024. These performances plus a theatre workshop, will be offered to groups of young and emerging activists and artivists. During this Applied Theatre workshop, we will unpack the poem with the audience as well as offer skills and tools to help groups begin to stage their own climate justice artivist project.
Also…what’s ours is yours! Our poem, which is published on the website, is yours to use under a creative commons licence. So go ahead and print or download it and make it your own. We can’t wait to see how our baby grows and moves around the world.
Please send us pics, videos, updates or shares from your performances and projects... We would love to see you in action!
Also…what’s ours is yours! Our poem, which is published on the website, is yours to use under a creative commons licence. So go ahead and print or download it and make it your own. We can’t wait to see how our baby grows and moves around the world.
Please send us pics, videos, updates or shares from your performances and projects... We would love to see you in action!
Use the hashtags
#BurningRebellion
#ClimateJusticeNow
So we can find and follow you.
Burning Rebellion, An Ecological Protest Poem 2019 by Well Worn Theatre is licensed under a Creative Commons license BY-NC-SA 4.0
A few Climate Justice posters collected from events in Tshwane, Johannesburg, and from all over the world!
WHO IS WELL WORN THEATRE COMPANY?
Well Worn Theatre (est. 2008) is a touring theatre company devising and performing work for predominantly young South African audiences in response to the climate crisis. We use theatre and play as an activist tool to research, interpret and reflect on the most pressing eco-social justice issues of our times. We then do our best to translate this co-research into plays that are entertaining and poetic and accessible to all.
We realized, pretty early on, that if we want to reach people with an ecological message, and mobilise hearts, hands and minds, we need to make work that is not preachy or didactic. So instead we make theatre that engages empathy and imagination through good storytelling, moving imagery and relatable characters.
We are also known for our radical protest theatre and public art performances, utilizing masks, puppets, satire and street theatre to highlight ecological injustices and activate public space.
Find us, follow us, say hi!
︎ Well Worn Theatre
︎ @wellworntheatre
︎ wellworntheatre(@)gmail.com
We realized, pretty early on, that if we want to reach people with an ecological message, and mobilise hearts, hands and minds, we need to make work that is not preachy or didactic. So instead we make theatre that engages empathy and imagination through good storytelling, moving imagery and relatable characters.
We are also known for our radical protest theatre and public art performances, utilizing masks, puppets, satire and street theatre to highlight ecological injustices and activate public space.
Find us, follow us, say hi!
︎ Well Worn Theatre
︎ @wellworntheatre
︎ wellworntheatre(@)gmail.com
Burning Rebellion, An Ecological Protest Poem 2019 by Well Worn Theatre is licensed under a Creative Commons license BY-NC-SA 4.0
Burning Rebellion was written by Joni Barnard aka Missy Phaya Fly, Lerato Sefoloshe, Sanelisiwe Yekani, Mlindeli Zondi, Jaques de Silva, Kyla Davis. Performed by: Lerato Sefoloshe, Sanelisiwe Yekani, Mlindeli Zondi, Jaques de Silva. Produced by: Well Worn Theatre Company.
This digital/interactive, open-source version of Burning Rebellion was produced by Well Worn Theatre Company in collaboration with the South African Research Chair in Science Communication, based at Stellenbosch University. The SARChI SciCom is funded by the National Research Foundation.
Burning Rebellion is made possible by a generous grant from the National Lotteries Commission.
