When silence becomes a legacy: this powerful Rwanda–Germany collaboration comes to the Market Theatre from 1–3 September.

Everyone has a story about silence.

There are truths and memories that remain unspoken — out of shame, fear or pain, or because the right words feel impossible to find. But silence can become a habit. It can take root in families and communities, passing from one generation to the next.

Who is allowed to speak? Who is heard? And who dares to break the silence?

Supported by the Goethe-Institut, the acclaimed international production Talking About Silence comes to Johannesburg’s Market Theatre as part of the Cradle of Creativity Festival, presented by ASSITEJ South Africa from 31 August to 6 September 2026.

Created through a collaboration between Ishyo Arts Centre in Kigali, Rwanda, and HELIOS Theatre in Hamm, Germany, the production brings together six performers to tell interconnected stories about secrets, discrimination, grief, conflict and healing. With humour, honesty and emotional depth, they explore the courage it takes to speak—and how words can bring people closer together.

Over a year of collaboration in Rwanda and Germany, the creative team examined how the particular histories of both countries continue to shape people’s lives today. Their conversations turned repeatedly to social and family taboos, inherited trauma, and the stories that families choose either to share or conceal.

Talking About Silence asks audiences to consider the complicated nature of silence: it can protect, but it can also isolate, suffocate and cause harm. Some taboos may be essential for survival, while others become instruments of pressure, prohibition or discrimination.

The production features Carole Karemera, Noemie Ntahonkiriye, Inkindi Muyango, Minju Kim, Tamara Hermanns and Michael Lurse. It is directed and produced by Carole Karemera of Rwanda and Barbara Kölling of Germany, with a script by Steffen Moor, scenography by Michael Lurse and technical direction by Malte Kochanek.

Alongside its performances, the Talking About Silence company will lead professional workshops for South African artists, exploring ways in which theatre can engage meaningfully with difficult social issues. These workshops deepen the festival’s commitment to artistic exchange, skills development and lasting international collaboration.

Performance details

Venue: Market Theatre, Johannesburg

Duration: 60 minutes

Recommended age: 14 years and over

Performances:

•              Tuesday, 1 September at 19:30

•              Wednesday, 2 September at 14:30

•              Thursday, 3 September at 16:30

Workshops:

•              So You Want to Make Theatre for Early Years – Wednesday, 2 September from 10:00-13:00 with Barbara Kölling

•              So You Want to Make Work for Young Audiences? – Thursday, 3 September from 09:30-11:30 with Carole Karamera

Ticket prices:

•              Adults: R180

•              Children: R150

•              Family or group of four attending one production: R400

•              Block bookings of 10 or more: R85 per person

•              Block bookings of 10 or more attending two productions: R120 per person

Audiences can also watch the documentary to discover how Talking About Silence was created and gain insight into the rehearsal process.

About Cradle of Creativity 2026

Presented by ASSITEJ South Africa, Cradle of Creativity is the country’s only international festival dedicated to theatre and the performing arts for children and young people. Since its origins in hosting the ASSITEJ World Congress in 2017, the festival has become a major platform for artistic excellence, international collaboration, audience development and professional exchange, showcasing the very best work from South Africa, across Africa and around the world.

“Children and young people in South Africa seldom have the opportunity to experience international theatre and performing arts of this scale,” says Yvette Hardie, Director of ASSITEJ South Africa. “Cradle of Creativity is about bringing the world to young people, while showcasing the creativity and stories of South Africa to the world.”

The festival takes place in the 50th anniversary year of the 1976 Soweto Uprisings. Inspired by the courage, creativity and activism of young people, the festival celebrates the power of youth to question boundaries, imagine alternatives and shape a more just future. It also honours the rich indigenous heritage of the continent, creating space for local voices to stand alongside artists from across Africa and beyond.

This year’s festival is supported by the National Arts Council through the Presidential Employment Stimulus, and will present 21 productions in theatre, dance, circus and interdisciplinary performance coming from 10 countries, reaching audience members aged from as young as one year old through to adulthood.

Cradle of Creativity is more than a festival: it is an investment in children, artists and communities. It affirms that children and young people are not simply the audiences of the future — they are vital audiences today, deserving of world-class artistic experiences wherever they live.

The Cradle of Creativity Festival is supported by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the Department of Basic Education, the National Arts Council through the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme, the Market Theatre Foundation, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, the Performing Arts Fund NL, the Goethe-Institut, the Northern Cape Theatre, the Northern Cape Arts and Culture Council, the Social Employment Fund and the Buz Hive.

The festival is also presented with the support of the Goethe-Institut and Expertise France, in partnership with Institut français, within the framework of the Connect & Create programme funded by the European Union.

Yvette Hardie
director@assitej.org.za
082 859 5635
ASSITEJ South Africa
http://www.assitej.org.za