History Is Restaged as Tiro’s Toughloop Testimony Steps into the Theatre Arts Spotlight

History takes centre stage this January as Tiro’s Toughloop Testimony arrives at Theatre Arts, Observatory, offering audiences a powerful and immersive encounter with the life and legacy of one of South Africa’s most courageous yet often overlooked anti-apartheid figures, Onkgopotse Abram Ramothibi Tiro. This research-driven, solo theatrical work runs on 30 and 31 January at 19:00, with an additional matinee performance at 14:00 on 31 January.

Blending documentary theatre, poetic storytelling, and contemporary reflection, Tiro’s Toughloop Testimony moves fluidly between past and present. The production excavates Tiro’s political consciousness, activism, and ultimate sacrifice, while interrogating the systems that attempted to erase his voice from dominant historical narratives. It is a work that refuses silence and insists on remembrance, positioning theatre as a site of resistance, truth-telling, and reclamation.

Written and performed by the acclaimed Ayanda ka Nobakabonwa from Dunoon, Zwelitsha an informal settlement in Cape Town, and directed by Mfundo Zono from Mfuleni township and Mluleki from Khayelitsha, has received significant national recognition through their production for both its artistic excellence and intellectual rigor. At the Zabalaza Theatre Festival, Tiro’s Toughloop Testimony was awarded Best Script, Best Actor, and Finest of the Festival 2023, firmly establishing it as one of the most celebrated theatrical works of that year. The accolades continued on major national platforms. The production earned nominations at the prestigious Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards for Best New South African Script, Best New Director, and Best Performance in a Solo Show. Most recently, it received a Bronze Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival Fringe 2025, further affirming its resonance with audiences and critics across the country.

Tiro’s Toughloop Testimony speaks directly to audiences drawn to stories of apartheid, political resistance, and intellectual bravery. It raises urgent questions about memory, power, and historical erasure: whose voices are preserved, whose are silenced, and what it means to reclaim these narratives in the present moment. In doing so, the production challenges audiences not only to witness history, but to engage with it critically and emotionally.

The creative team behind the production includes Lighting Designer Mluleki Titi, whose design heightens the emotional and political texture of the work, and Mojalefa Koyana, responsible for Stage Management and Sound, ensuring a tightly crafted and immersive theatrical experience.

Performance Details:Venue: Theatre Arts, ObservatoryDates: 30–31 January 2026Times: 19:00 (evenings), 14:00 (matinee on 31 January)Tickets: R120 Students: R80, available at www.theatrearts.co.za