Global theatre production explores reconciliation

An international theatre production examining reconciliation, justice and forgiveness will be staged at the Market Theatre from 9 to 26 April 2026.

Titled Under the Shade of a Tree I Sat and Wept, the production brings together artists from South Africa and Europe to reflect on how societies confront painful histories and attempt to heal after conflict.

The play draws on archival material and newly collected testimonies connected to Kosovo’s 1990 Blood Feuds Reconciliation Campaign and South Africa’s reconciliation process after apartheid.

It pays tribute to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of violence while examining the difficult pursuit of forgiveness.

Its staging in South Africa comes as the country marks Human Rights Month in March under the theme “Bill of Rights at 30: Making Human Dignity Real”.

Human Rights Month commemorates the victims of the Sharpeville Massacre on 21 March 1960, when apartheid police killed 69 peaceful protesters demonstrating against pass laws.

The production also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which allowed victims of apartheid-era violations to confront perpetrators and share their stories as part of the country’s healing process.

Directed by Kosovar theatre-maker Blerta Neziraj, the play premiered in Kosovo in 2025 and toured several countries in south-eastern Europe. After its Johannesburg run, the production will travel to Norway, Italy, Portugal, Germany, France and New York.

The cast features performers from different countries, reflecting the international nature of the production. 

South African actors Gontse Ntshegang, Kensiwe Tshabalala, Les Made and Bongile Gorata Lecoge-Zulu appear alongside Amernis Nokshiqi, Ilire Vinca and Arben Bajraktaraj.

Through humour and emotionally charged performances, the cast recreates the atmosphere of reconciliation processes, highlighting the pain experienced by victims confronting those responsible for atrocities.

The production also explores how systems of violence can affect families and communities across generations.

For more information about the production, visit www.markettheatre.co.za.

Ticket cost: R110 - R220pp.

Did you know: 

This year also marks 30 years since the adoption of South Africa’s democratic Constitution. Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi recently led the national launch of the commemoration of 30 years of the Constitution at the Apartheid Museum in Soweto, Gauteng.