Dear Winnie,

What is it like to be a female, black activist? When will you rise up for recognition, justice and claim your place? Who was freedom fighter Winnie Mandela? Why is she judged differently as a freedom fighter from her male equivalents?

This piece zooms in on women who are fighting their struggles today. In Dear Winnie, the stories of nine actresses, singers and performers with roots in South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Cape Verde, Suriname and the Caribbean islands are interwoven with that of Winnie Mandela. Stories of a shared history, of unfair judgments, full of strength, ruthlessness and filled with seeds of inspiration and hope.

After their lauded performances Rumble in da Jungle and Malcolm X, Winnie Mandela is an evident next source of inspiration to Jr.cE.sA.r. They want Dear Winnie, to sow seeds of hope and inspiration among the audience. Let this inspiring story transport you, thanks to a lively performance full of music.

Nine voices, nine bodies, in a setting of self-created musical instruments, true stories and infectious energy. Power up!

Press

Dear Winnie is a remarkably compelling ritual, with its zest for life and its powerful fighting spirit creating major fireworks on stage. Nine black women present a fiery ode to their idol, Winnie Madikizela Mandela. Time, language and style flow and intermingle freely to form one feminist, anti-racist statement - and a magnificent theatre spectacle to boot.' -Jury report Theatre festival

More info

text Fikry El Azzouzi direction Junior Mthombeni with  Andie Dushime, Denise Jannah, Tutu Puoane, Ntjam Rosie, Alesandra Seutin, Jade Wheeler, Joy Wielkens, Mahina Ngandu, Cesar Janssens, Christophe Millet and Junior Mthombeni musical direction Cesar Janssens choreography Alesandra Seutin voice advice Tutu Puoane production KVS and NNT co-production Théâtre De Liège, Perpodium decor- and lightdesign Stef Stessel costumes Lieve Pynoo sound design Peter Zwart, Patrick Van Neck dramaturghy Robbert Van Heuven and Gerardo Salinas direction assistance Wim De Vries decor- and instrument building Ralf Nonn and Danny Vandeput with the support of Tax shelter of the Belgian federal government photo Reyer Boxem