Mark and Jill’s South Africa trip 2015

Few places are more synonymous with the idea of freedom than South Africa. Performance has been shaped by apartheid as much as any other area of society, but it’s now breaking away from the past and looking towards the future. Young theatre makers born since the end of apartheid are the first generation of artists who are truly free, both socially and artistically. It’s an exciting time for Hull Truck Theatre to meet them to talk about long lasting relationships and cultural exchange in the lead up to Hull 2017 and particularly to research cultural resonances for the Freedom Season (July – September 2017).

It’s the end of day three here on our trip to South Africa. Tonight is our last night in Jo'burg before we fly down to Port Elizabeth and then onto the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown where some of the best work happening in South Africa today is showcased.

Leaving behind the bustling city of Jo'burg we flew south to the Eastern Cape and on to the city of Port Elizabeth in the metropolitan area of Nelson Mandela Bay. The historical watering place of the British Empire on the way to the Indies, Port Elizabeth has a distinctly different social and political environment. The City is small. In contrast to the growing spread of Jo'burg and its ability to attract ever growing numbers of skilled workers, PE has been bleeding talent. PE is a city on the edge of the cape, on the edge of South Africa, and in some senses it feels like the forgotten city. The central business district is very small - one street precisely, and a major road with a flyover cuts the city off from the huge docks that is a major area for potential development. I take a look at this huge road and how it severs the city from an important part of its identity and it all feels very familiar.

It’s our last day in South Africa after 16 days of absorbing, inspiring and often moving encounters with people, places and latterly performances.