Cry Africa is the love story of a gardener, Herald, and Kindness, a girl from the rural areas.  It is also the tragic love story of Herald’s sister, Tembi, married to Kindness’ unemployed brother Daniel who joins the President’s terrorising gangs of thugs on the promise of money to clear his debts.


    Tragi-comedy comes from the interaction
    of Mama (Kindness’ mother) and Uncle
    Reggie who live in the rural areas but
    also visit Mama’s son Daniel’s in the
    townships.

    The political situation enters with the
    character of Strive, a self-made
    businessman.  Fair dealing and
    philanthropic, he is a candidate for the
opposition party in the forthcoming elections.  When Herald loses his job, Strive gives him employment, offering the same to Daniel, who turns him down - he wants big money quickly.
                                               
Ultimately a tragedy, Strive is tortured and Daniel is killed trying to save him.  But there are positive outcomes too.  Herald and Kindness are excused the penal lobola (bride price) which would keep them apart for years.  Other difficulties are resolved and the, by now, very capable Herald offers himself as candidate in Strive’s place.  “ . . . and after me there will be someone else.  There will always be someone else!  There must always be someone else!”

The story weaves together the black and white middle-class, rural and township dwellers, street kids, the unemployed,  politicians and the gangs in about 40 minutes of dialogue and 80 minutes of music.

We are offering the work to any group of musicians and singers who would like to perform it.  For amateur performances, no fee is required but please let us know about your production.

You can download the Book and Music in PDF format here.  

The show can be staged with a minimum of scenery, using a small band of trumpet, trombone, tenor sax, electric guitar, keyboard, bass and drums - or even just keyboard if that is all that is available.

It can also be an orchestral spectacular with big dance scenes in the township, the brickyard and the rural stockade (where Zulu dancing celebrates the betrothal), and during the confrontation between the leading characters and the gangs in the final Act.

There are nine principal characters and 30 songs, plus music.

Musical styles vary throughout and will appeal to a general audience.  Songs in the rural stockade ‘Lobola’ and ‘The Girl Child’, ‘Smile, Smile, Smile’ sung in the township, and the work song ‘When Brother Helps Brother’ in the brickyard are African folk-based.  The dark themes for ‘Cry Africa’ and ‘The Voice of War’ are a composite of African and Orchestral.  Other songs are blues, rock or ballads as appropriate to the character and situation.