A new children’s 
theatre production will bring laughter, learning and environmental awareness to the stage when Zweli and the Lemon Seed opens at the Kippies Fringe at the Market Theatre.
Presented by Phephanepeni, in association with The Art Cave and the Market Theatre, the production runs from 30 July to 2 August 2026. The interactive comedy is written and directed by Philile Ntimbane and uses humour, movement and audience participation to teach children about recycling, farming, anti-littering and the dangers of illegal dumping.
The Market Theatre said the play follows Zweli, “a mischievous township boy” who is sent to spend the holidays at his grandmother’s house after struggling at school and causing trouble at home. Away from Wi-Fi and fast food, Zweli meets a farmer who introduces him to nature and environmental responsibility.
The production aims to teach children about their role in protecting the environment. The Market Theatre said the play “breaks the fourth wall” by inviting young audiences to share their own recycling solutions during the performance.
Using minimal props and movement, the production aims to leave children with lessons they can carry beyond the stage.
“In a world where environmental issues are impossible to ignore,” the Market Theatre said, the play gives young audiences “something to act on”.
Ntimbane said the production responds to a need for more children’s theatre in South Africa.
“There is a real gap in children’s theatre in South Africa,” said Ntimbane. She added that educational theatre helps children to remember important lessons long after a performance has ended.
Ntimbane is a playwright, scriptwriter and theatre producer with 16 years of experience in South African theatre. She holds qualifications from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Durban University of Technology. She has worked with Joburg City Theatres and The Playhouse Company.
In 2023, she founded Phephanepeni (Pty) Ltd, whose previous work includes Democrazy, a satirical play about South African democracy.
Zweli and the Lemon Seed was previously part of the BASA Grant 2.0 pilot programme and was staged in Ngwelezane Township in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
The Market Theatre said children can expect to “laugh, engage and leave with lessons they will never forget.”
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