Legendary South African TV actor Hamilton Dhlamini is dedicated to nurturing young talent across the world, with a special focus on Africa.
He recently conducted drama acting master-classes in Maseru, Lesotho, and prior to that, he organised a three-day workshop for school children in eSwatini.
In an interview with the Independent Media Lifestyle, Dhlamini expressed his passion for helping aspiring individuals find their way into the entertainment industry.
He emphasised his dedication to creating opportunities for black children to explore their passions and become skilled storytellers in Africa.
“I am creating an opportunity for a black child to explore and find his or her passion. I need to plant a seed of good storytellers in Africa,” said Dhlamini.
Dhlamini's vision extends to creating more shows and productions that revolve around African stories.
He aims to produce theatre shows, television series, and films that are created by and for Africans, especially targeting unemployed youth.
His ultimate goal is to shift mindsets, promote self-development, and empower the youth by guiding them towards positive endeavours.
“I want to create theatre shows, television series and films for us, about us, by us, especially our unemployed youth.
“We need to reset our mindset, develop and empower our youth. This can be done by directing them into doing good things for and by themselves.”
Meanwhile, Dhlamini's latest theatre production "Woza Albert!", is set to debut at the Mitambo International Theatre Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe.
“Woza Albert!” is written by Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngema and Barney Simon, and remains one of the most vibrant examples of satirical anti-apartheid South African Theatre.
"Woza Albert!" is a powerful and thought-provoking play that delves into the struggles faced by South Africans during the apartheid era.
The play serves not only as a historical commentary on apartheid-era South Africa but also as a universal exploration of the human response to social and political injustices.
It encourages reflection on the moral imperative to take action in the face of oppression and serves as a reminder of the power of theatre to engage, provoke, and inspire change.
The production uses the metaphor of “Morena (Jesus)” to show what would happen if he came back to South Africa during apartheid. Would he like what he saw? And if he saw the atrocities of the time, then why would he not do anything about them?
“Woza Albert!" was first performed at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg in 1981
The production's approach to storytelling through various theatrical abstracts and its exploration of a wide range of characters offer a multifaceted view of the social and political landscape in South Africa during the early 1980s.
“It is a play that gave the South African narrative its international visibility,” said James Ngcobo, Artistic Director of Joburg City Theatres.
“An absolute feast for both audiences and actors in the production.
“A timeless piece of theatre that also celebrates our story telling and how our actors have the AMAZING knack to immerse themselves in the idea of playing characters,” added Ngcobo.