HIDDEN / CURRENT, a play written by Fatima Dike from Cape Town, Naghmeh Samini from Tehran and Elizabeth Heffron, from Seattle will be staged at Artscape Theatre from 27 to 29 November, 2025.
Produced by Freehold Theatre Lab – Seattle, this significant work includes three protagonists with vivid, unique cultural stories: a young Law student from South Africa, who is subject to her in-laws’ clan elders’ control and restrictions regarding her continued studies in an arranged marriage; an incarcerated daughter in an American prison who might not receive the help she needs because of tensions with her mother’s new husband; and an Iranian woman forced to flee Iran, living in Istanbul, assists in the escape of a 14 year old girl from an arranged marriage to a much older man.
Three interwoven stories
The play unfolds in a fluid context of the real and the surreal – an amalgam of dance, theatre, and expressionism – through live music, movement and mixed media, evoking Istanbul, Langa Township, the prison, and the water realm that surrounds these three woven stories by Naghmeh Samini, Fatima Dike, and Elizabeth Heffron.
In pursuit of what is grassroots and global, a cohort of international collaborators have been engaged for this production.
The creative team include Director Robin Lynn Smith, Composer/Musician Gino Srdjan Yevdjevich “Kultur Shock”, Movement Director Jessica Jobaris and Scenic Designer Parmida Ziaei.
The actors are Zikhona Jacobs, Sbuja Dywili, Sizwe Msutu and Chris Gxalaba from Cape Town; Emily Pike, Stefan Enriquez, Jennifer Moore and Newsha Farhani from Seattle; Soha Sanajou Vancouver, BC and Shayan Khoshmagham from San Francisco.
The universality of women’s struggles
Director of the play Robin Lynn Smith states, “When people witness the experiences of women from outside their culture of origin, it brings it home that this is not solely their crisis and it is harder to deny what is happening’’.
”While the play is intended to be produced for a wide audience, we are particularly interested in reaching women who do not see themselves or their stories represented on stage and to offer larger audiences a catalyst to act to tip the balance back towards equity for women”.
Dr Marlene le Roux, CEO of Artscape, says that “This work is a powerful testament to the universality of women’s struggles. It is a bold and necessary work that threads together the lived realities of women across continents. Fatima Dike, alongside Naghmeh Samini and Elizabeth Heffron, brings to light the silent burdens women carry – often masked by culture, religion, and tradition. These stories, rooted in South Africa, Iran, and the United States, reveal how oppression wears different faces but shares the same weight. Artscape stands firm in its belief that theatre like this is vital. Through productions such as these, and our flagship Artscape Women’s Humanity Festival during national Women’s Month annually in August, it gives voice to the unheard, confronts the uncomfortable, and challenges us to reimagine a world where women are seen, heard, and free.”
“Mother of South Africa’s Drama” Fatima Dike, a recognised playwright, poet, director, teacher, political activist and the first African woman to publish a play, confirms: “To me, theatre has always been the weapon used by us as a weapon to awaken the masses about issues in our society that may cause divisions, harm, injustice etc. It is always a way to create awareness. GBV is so wide spread in our societies and the victims are rendered voiceless. By putting these subjects on the stage we awaken the conscience of the offenders and give voice to the voiceless. The three stories in this production cover themes of culture; religious beliefs; power in the form of money when it is in the wrong hands and overall patriarchy. This is the kind of work that should be opened to discussion between the audience and the cast, director and playwrights.”
Performances on 27 and 28 November are at 7pm, 29 November 3pm and 7pm. The duration of the play is 90min with no interval.
Age Restriction no under 14s.
What: HIDDEN CURRENT Fatima Dike, Naghmeh Samini, Elizabeth Heffron
Where: Artscape Cape Town
When: 27 and 28 November, 7pm, 29 November 3pm, 7pm
Tickets: R50 to R120. Student and pensioner discounts, and group bookings 10 or more R50 per seat. Book with Webtickets, Artscape-dial-a-seat 021 421-7695
WS
