The Curtain Closes on Sarafina! An Injury to One is an Injury to All!

Nov 13, 2018

 

An Injury to One is an Injury to All!

On Saturday, 10th of November, ARIS held its 2nd Annual Drama Production, SARAFINA!

SARAFINA! Finally came to be, after months of Practice and Rehearsals, after school, during the holidays and at any other free time, as the date neared. Our whole Performing Arts Department and our Students’ consistent efforts to execute it properly and with the right maturity and emotions; especially with regard to such a story, was irrefutable and crucial.

SARAFINA is set in a school in Soweto, where Students started what is historically recorded as the Soweto Uprising of 1976. Upon the move to make Afrikaans the Language of Instructions in schools, Sarafina, a brave young girl, mobilized her fellow peers to start a student revolution against the government injustice, oppression and brutality, during the Apartheid. SARAFINA chronicles the story of unparalleled resilience, bravery, and standing up for one’s rights in the face of injustice. This was relevant then, it is relevant now, and will remain relevant as long as there is injustice and infringement to Human Rights in the world.

For the first time, this was not just a performance. This was a movement, on our stage. This was an awakening for our students. This was a lesson. This was an immersive experience to understand our people’s history and leverage that understanding into our present, as we all aim towards Global Citizenship and International Mindedness.

The whole audience remained silent as the students performed. And, what a performance they gave! Our students, sang, danced, and evoked emotions, as they acted. There were moments of glee and happiness, there were moments of rage, and there were moments of sadness. It was filled with pathos. The best part of the Production as a whole has to be the little moments of comedy amidst the seriousness of the play. Also, what is commendable is how our P.A Department, the Director, Music Director, Dance Director and Student Directors arranged and choreographed all the movements of such a huge cast on stage.

Families and Friends watched in awe as they watched the students perform so well, and some even newly discovered their children’s talents!

As the lights went out, and our cast and crew came to the stage, the applause and cheers were blaring! The students were surging with excitement as their performance was a success, and it was a party at the Secondary Campus Performance Hall!

As our Student Directors – Catherine and Rashida, said, a big thank you to the whole Performing Arts Team for inspiring the students to play and portray these characters with the right emotions. Thank you to the Head of Secondary School and the Administration, for empowering our Sarafina Team with all necessary resources to make Sarafina, a success. Also, Thank you to our Director, Dr. Fatma, for continuously providing us the opportunities to transform for a better world!