SIGUDLA NOGALAKAJANA – Abdul Milazi
NGANGINEMINYAKA engamashumi amabili nambili ubudala mhla ngithola ithuba lokubukela umdlalo weshashalazi iBopha, okwakudlala kuyona uMbongeni Ngema. Ngabuyela ekhaya ngingawuvali umlomo ngekhono lale nsizwa.
Ngaleyo nkathi nami ngangingumdlali weshashalazi eqenjini elalaziwa ngeTomorrow People, elaliholwa ngesinye isihlabani kulo mkhakha uJabulani Gcwensa, owayenekhono lokubhala nokudlala.
USomjeyi, njengoba wayeteketiswa kanjalo ngabamaziyo, wangithola ngidlala kwelinye iqembu esalisungula nabangane bami esikoleni iSister Joan’s High School, saqhubeka nalo noma sesiqedile esikoleni. Sasidlala kakhulu ezikoleni zaseSouth Coast. Ngonyaka ka-1989, sathola ithuba lokudlala ehholo lasedolobheni iPort Shepstone Civic Centre, kwaba yilapho uGcwensa angibona khona, ngidlala nensizwa yakwaBhengu, uLucky engahlangana nayo isafunda eNkonka High School, eMurchison. Le nsizwa yagcina isingumvikeli (bodyguard) kaNelson Mandela, owayengumengameli wokuqala kahulumeni wentando yeningi.
UNgema wangenza ngafisa ukuba negalelo nami kulo mkhakha wemidlalo yeshashalazi. Ngasengizibona sengidlala eBroadway, eMelika, kubhalwa ngami emaphephandabeni aphesheya.
Yize ngakhetha ukuba yintatheli kodwa uNgema wahlala eyiqhawe kimi, wasiphakamisa naphesheya kwezilwandle. Kwathi uma omunye wemidlalo yakhe iSarafina iphendulwa yenziwa ifilimu yaphesheya, ngaziqhayisa ngalelo galelo sengathi lowo mdlalo ubhalwe yimina uqobo. ElikaMthaniya laziwa ngisho naseMelika kulo mkhakha ngenxa yale nsizwa. Impumelelo yaleli qhawe yaze yadlula eyesinye isigagayi esampheka eseluhlaza cwe, uGibson Kente.
Zikhona ezinye izinsizwa ezaba negalelo kulo mkhakha. Lapho ngikhuluma ngoJohn Kani, uSello Maake kaNcube, uSeputla Sebogodi, uMenzi Ngubane, uVusi Kunene, u-Angifi Dladla noThulani Sifeni (okungenye insizwa engasebenza nayo kakhulu kwiBachaki Theatre).
Abaningi abafana noVusi Kunene, uMenzi Ngubane, uSello Maake kaNcube noSeputla Sebogodi baphinda baba negalelo elinohlonze emidlalweni kamabonakude nakumafilimu.
UMadlokovu nguye owasibonisa ukuthi lolu hlobo lwemidlalo yeshashalazi okuthiwa phecelezi ngama-musicals, lungenziwa ngolimi lwesintu futhi lube nesasasa njengayo lena ebesiyazi yesiNgisi. Phela thina sikhule siyizwela lena kude le nhlobo yemidlalo yeshashalazi.
Lapho kwakukhulunywa khona ngezifana noNutcracker, iThe Phantom of the Opera, iThe Sound of Music, iWest Side Story neThe King and I, okuyizo ezazidla ubhedu kusukela ngeminyaka yo-1950, ngingakazalwa nokuzalwa. Ngithe noma sengikhulile bezisadlala, kanti zisadlala namanje.
Lolu hlobo lwemidlalo yeshashalazi lwaluthandwa yizitshuzana nezicwicwicwi ezazifuna ukuthi zaziwe ukuthi zifundile futhi ziphila impilo ephakeme.
Uma ngikhumbula kahle, lwaqala kwelaseNtaliyane (Italy) lwaziwa umhlaba wonke njenge-Opera. Wawuthola umuntu eyobukela kodwa engasazi isiNtaliyane, angezwa lutho, aphume lapho ethi uthinteke ngaphakathi emphefumulweni, eqamba aluhlaza okwenyongo yembuzi. Phela nathi sasiwabukela amafilimu singasazi isiNgisi bese siqagela nje ukuthi kuthiwani. Nabo-ke laba be-Opera babenza sona leso.
Kuthe kufika iSarafina, umuntu wakwazi ukubukela engaqageli. Kwaba nenye okwakuthiwa yiMabatha, okwakuthathwe iMacbeth yashintshelwa esiZulwini. Enye insizwa eyaba negalelo kwaba nguLebo M neLion King, okwaze kwenziwa ngisho nefilimu yopopayi ngayo. Ngimethulela isigqoko uMadlokovu, ngithi ayofa amaqhawe kodwa ziyosala izibongo.
