Return of MOFFIE: South Africa's hidden scars of diversity
The one-person stage production, "MOFFIE," is set to return to The Baxter Theatre in Cape Town from the 2nd to 27th of September 2025 at the Baxter Flipside Theatre. This critically acclaimed production, which had a five-star premiere season in London, offers a deeply personal and poignant exploration of the experiences of a young gay man conscripted into the South African army during the 1980s apartheid-era.
"MOFFIE" is not a staging of the film, but an adaptation of André Carl van der Merwe's novel, adapted by Philip Rademeyer. The play delves into the harsh realities of the Angolan Border War, a pointless conflict that consumed teenage boys and turned them into silent men. It sheds light on the brutal, state-sanctioned military system that enforced conformity through hatred and violence.
The production is significant as it confronts the "silent wounds" and traumas carried by many South African men who lived through or inherited the effects of this militarization and systemic oppression. David Viviers will be playing the role of Nicholas in the new stage production.
The production design, by Niall Griffin, cradles the performance in light and shadow, while Charl Johan Lingenfelder's sound design immerses the audience in the sounds of the SADF in the 80s. Lingenfelder, who personally lived through the experience that the production portrays, aims to evoke deep feelings rather than focus on spectacle.
"MOFFIE" addresses the lasting effects of the apartheid system, particularly on queer South Africans, who faced rejection, erasure, and the constant threat of violence. It reflects on themes of love, shame, fear, and survival under apartheid's repression, inviting audiences to remember and reckon with this painful chapter of South Africa's history.
Performances are scheduled Tuesday to Saturday at 19:30, with matinees on Wednesdays at 15:00 and Saturdays at 15:30. Tickets range from R150 to R240. The production of "MOFFIE" is running at the Baxter Flipside Theatre in Cape Town, presented by the Common Humanity Arts Trust in association with The Baxter Theatre.
[1] MOFFIE is a culturally and historically significant theatrical work that sheds light on the experiences of gay men under compulsory military service in apartheid South Africa, exposing the emotional and psychological scars left by the forced conformity and violence of the era. [2] The production aims to provide audiences with a space to reflect, sit with discomfort, find recognition, and potentially release. [3] MOFFIE is a story about a young gay man conscripted into the South African army in the 1980s. [4] The production gained international acclaim with a five-star debut in London before returning to South Africa's Baxter Theatre for a limited season, emphasizing its cultural importance and resonance in the country of origin. [5] The story is adapted from a novel and is an intimate one-man show that serves as a powerful meditation on memory and the desperate longing to be seen in a society that punished difference.
- After witnessing the critically acclaimed production of "MOFFIE" at the Baxter Flipside Theatre, one might find insight into the home-and-garden lives of South African men during the 1980s apartheid-era, as the play delves into their personal experiences and the effects of military service on their lifestyle.
- The home-and-garden setting of "MOFFIE" is not literal; rather, it serves as a metaphor for the deep emotional impact of the militarization and systemic oppression, which left many South African men with lingering emotional wounds and a sense of alienation.
