The Incident is an award-winning play by Swedish Playwright Joakim Daun that tackles belonging, migration, racism and power through an intimate love story spanning Sweden and Zimbabwe.
The Incident explores the realities of living in a different culture, far from family, support, and tradition. It takes a closer at who we allow to belong in our societies and what it means to be an ambitious, non-white woman in a mostly white male dominated society.
The play takes a critical look at when belonging is conditional upon confronting an oppressive homogeneous environment. It asks how ‘progressive’ people really are when they’re confronted with difficult choices. How do peoples’ own history, culture and language influence their perceptions and treatment of people that are different from them?
The Incident was created collaboratively between Swedish writer Joakim Daun and American Dramaturge Zoë Guzy-Sprague. The play premiered at the Harare International Festival of the Arts, Zimbabwe in 2017 and was part of the main stage program at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa 2018 where it was directed by Elizabeth Zaza Muchemwa
The London run is directed by acclaimed Tonderai Munyevu and Arne Pohlmeier at Two Gents Production and stars Swedish actor David Weiss and British actress Cassandra Hercules.
Supported by the Swedish Embassy in London, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee and by using public funding by Arts Council England. Grateful thanks to Michaela Waldram-Jones.
We are a group of artists from diverse backgrounds who tell untold stories and produce thought provoking theatre to generate dialogue around difficult issues.
The Incident was developed by Swedish writer Joakim Daun with American Dramaturge Zoë Guzy-Sprague and a group of Southern African theatre makers.
We are interested in creating a dialogue with our audiences and we hold post-show discussion at each venue. We will also run participatory workshops parallel to the performances. The workshops make the participants explore and challenge the social complexities created by the social constructs of racism, power and privilege.
Writer & Producer: Joakim Daun
Cast: Cassandra Hercules & David Weiss
Directors: Tonderai Munyevu and Arne Pohlmeier
Dramaturge and Co-producer: Zoë Guzy-Sprague
Stage Manager: Rachel Graham
Lighting Design: Nic Farman
Associate Lighting Designer: Sam Owen
Scenic Design: Cecilia Trono
AV design: James Ball
Costumer Design: Simon Kenny
Production intern: Isabelle Ezekwesili
Film/Trailer: Anton Califano
Set and Props: Scene Visual Productions, South Africa
Original Music: Lovedale Makalanga and Brezhnev Guveya
Photography: Joe Twigg
Graphic Design: Tosin Sanni and Tyme Design
"It blew me away. I walked away feeling like I needed to be more open, like I needed to interrogate more. The power of this play is that it got me to give room to the ‘other’.” – Phemelo Motene, Media Strategist & Radio Presenter, South Africa
"It’s a brilliant production because it forces the audience to interact, to interrogate their own prejudice." – Masego Panyane, Theatre and Entertainment Writer, IOL South Africa
"Powerful, relevant, controversial and open ended." ★★★★★- Audience Feedback – National Arts Festival 2018
"Intense, provocative, challenging, exactly what I was hoping for." ★★★★★- Audience Feedback – NAF 2018
"Inspiring, Overwhelming. Very moving!" ★★★★ - Audience Feedback – NAF 2018
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Note: discussions on the themes of the play will take place after the performances on Wednesday 17 and Friday 19 October. There will be a workshop dealing with the themes of the play on Saturday 20 October at The Albany. Click here to find out more information about The Incident Workshop.
