South African theatre legend, Andrew Buckland, takes on the role of writer and director with his play, Feedback, a razor-sharp satirical comedy about the politics of food, at the Baxter Studio, from 7 to 30 August 2025 at 8pm, with Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.
Assisted by the award-winning Roshina Ratnam (Life & Times of Michael K, Hamlet), the production features the Baxter’s Fires Burning company: Carlo Daniels, Awethu Hleli, Nolufefe Ntshuntshe and Lyle October – all recently seen in acclaimed productions such as La Ronde, Neighbourhood, Metamorphoses and Othello.
Feedback is a murder mystery that, under the unconventional vision of Buckland, transforms into a farcical, uproarious and eccentric work of physical theatre. It hilariously delves into themes ranging from food consciousness to greed and globalisation and, in the hands of the Fires Burning Company, evolves into an intense, action-packed celebration of humanity, highlighting both our capacity for greed and altruism. The audience is taken on an energetic ride where absurdity and poignancy collide.
The story is centred around two brothers, a pair of detectives and a multitude of flying cheeses (along with other food items) as they match wits with the nefarious Grave Brothers.
Originally performed by Andrew Buckland and later, with Lionel Newton (garnering critical acclaim and several awards), Feedback has been reimagined for a new generation of theatregoers, driven by the vibrant energy of the Fires Burning ensemble.
The sociology and governance of food
Buckland explains how the play came about, “One day I overheard two packers in a supermarket having a conversation and the one asked the other, ‘how are the cheeses doing’, to which his colleague replied, they are flying off the shelf’. This got me thinking about the sociology and governance of food – how, while some people are feasting, others are dying of starvation. Unpacking those few words led to the genesis of Feedback.”
Buckland is one of South Africa’s most celebrated theatre-makers, with a career spanning several decades across stage, film and television. He has received over 20 national and international awards, including three Fringe First Awards at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Best Actor accolades at the Fleur du Cap, Woordfees and Naledi awards. He is part of the cast of Life & Times of Michael K, played Hamlet for the SABC, performed in Kagiso Lediga’s film Catching Feelings and has collaborated on numerous productions, including Firefly, The Inconvenience of Wings and Endgame. He is Professor Emeritus at Rhodes University, where he taught for many years.
Ratnam is a director, writer, performer and puppeteer. Her directorial credits include Surge and Glimmer (both nominated for Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards), Ka-Boom! and Filled, which received Ovation Awards at the 2025 National Arts Festival. As a performer, she toured internationally with Life and Times of Michael K and served as Assistant Director on Patmos with Jaco Bouwer.
What: Feedback
Where and when: Baxter Studio from 7 to 30 August 2025
Tickets: Webtickets
WS
