Lima Productions and the Market Theatre Laboratory, is proud to present Call of the Revolution’s Children from 8 – 10 May 2026.

Call of the Revolution’s Children a bold and intimate solo theatre production written by Soweto-based playwright Lehlohonolo Shale and directed by Lab graduate Aalliyah Zama Matintela running at Ramolao Makhene Theatre – Market Theatre Square, Newtown, Johannesburg from 8 – 10 May 2026.

Set in a humble four-roomed house in Pimville, Soweto, the play follows Joni, a young man returning to his community to attend the unveiling of a tombstone for Phaphama, a fallen comrade and member of the Youth Movement. Through memory, song, and testimony, the narrative weaves together the lives of three young revolutionaries, Bokang, Phaphama, and Joni, whose ideals, loves, and sacrifices are shaped by the turbulent final years of apartheid and the fraught dawn of democracy.

In a remarkable feat of solo performance, all three principal characters are portrayed by a single actor. The production draws on the rich tradition of township storytelling, invoking the streets of Soweto, the music of resistance, and the enduring question of what becomes of those who gave everything to a revolution that outlived them.

Shale’s previous work includes Sefako le Sefako which played to sold out houses at the space.com during partial lockdown in the country. His latest play is a work of profound political and emotional honesty, a meditation on loyalty, betrayal, and the cost of principle in an age of compromise.

Performance Details

Dates & Times
Friday, 8 May 2026 | 19:00
Saturday, 9 May 2026 | 19:00
Sunday, 10 May 2026 | 15:00

Venue: Ramolao Makhene Theatre – Market Theatre Square, Newtown, Johannesburg

Tickets: R120 General Admission and R100 Students & Pensioners

Safe and secure underground parking is available at the Newtown Junction.

The Market Theatre Laboratory is a Division of The Market Theatre Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.

For information on reservations and further enquiries, contact The Market Theatre Laboratory on 011 838 7498 or contact Thandeka Nheke on thandeka@marketlab.co.za.

For media enquiries, contact Bongiwe Potelwa (Publicist at The Market Theatre Foundation) at bongiwep@markettheatre.co.za or 011 832 1641 ext. 224.

Bongiwe Potelwa
bongiwep@markettheatre.co.za
079 967 3441
The Market Theatre Foundation
http://www.marketlab.co.za