A sense of belonging for Victoria Cluster

AMBER APRIL

“Home is a space of free expression”, said Dr Choice Makhetha, Senior Director of the Division of Student Affairs, in her speech referencing the environment created within the newly launched Victoria Hub.

On 18 April the Victoria Hub was officially opened on Coligny Street. The hub is the third of its kind on Stellenbosch (SU) campus and caters to the Victoria Cluster, which consists of Silene, Oude Molen, Wilgenhof, Monica and Harmonie.

When asked about how the new hub will positively impact the Victoria Cluster, Theane le Grange, HK of Silene, said, “The new hub has created an opportunity to bring together the Victoria Cluster communities to use this new space to build new traditions, strengthen student integration, and increase a sense of belonging, especially for PSO students.”

The Victoria Hub gives members of the cluster a space for academic and recreational purposes. There is also a Backpacker area established within the Hub which ensures that there is a safe space for commuter students to stay overnight, should they be unable to return home.

When asked about what the most unique part of the Victoria Hub is, the Prim of Oude Molen, Shelton Ngomakapile, said, “The most unique part about the Victoria Hub is the endless possibilities that the hub brings to a commuter student.”

He noted that this hub affords students an opportunity to “foster a more genuine connection” outside of planned PSO events. This is a space they can call their own.

Monica du Toit, coordinator of Victoria Cluster, said, “We are not here to play games, [and] we are not here to make beautiful buildings or tell people what they can or cannot do, we are [here because we are] serious about understanding community.”

Du Toit further added, “[Community] means creating deep connections beyond just hello.”

The Victoria Hub was launched on 28 April. There was also an opportunity for the greater Stellenbosch Community to participate in various activities planned by members of the Victoria Cluster.

On Sunday 23 April the Courtyard Café was reignited with Baked Shakespeare’s raucous rendition of the English playwright’s As You Like It. Their second performance in Stellenbosch this year had the audience enthusiastically selecting Orlando, the lead — played by S’Qhamo Mangcu — and his brother, Oliver — played by James Stoffberg — to be the smoking victims under its zealous command. With all five fie’s enacted within the first-half of the show, the cast was in for a hearty Stellenbosch send-off.

Baked Shakespeare, the theatre company that incorporates weedsmoking during their performance (at the behest of their audience), takes pride in presenting plays that speak to our modern climate and engage with those watching. With Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night under their belt, they returned to Stellenbosch with a successful take on As You Like It

“It’s another gender-bendy vibe, it feels a lot more relatable,” Juliette Rose-Innes, the show’s director, explains. She explains why they chose that specific play, “It mainly deals with human emotion and theme as opposed to a very strong storyline.”

The comedic elements of the plot are expertly enhanced by the cast’s extravagance (flowing particularly from the members five bowls deep), which leaves the audience in stitches.

The engagement with the audience is an integral part of the show’s concept. The cast and director prioritise their viewer’s enjoyment and ensure that they have fun watching the play, in a way that transcends simply laughing at people getting high.

Erin Gemmell — the actor for Audrey — comments, “What’s so nice about playing to audiences like [Stellenbosch] is that it really is [...] a group that can take the weed in its stride, but [...] also connect so strongly with the actual story.”

Stoffberg further says, “Baked

Shakespeare is very much about connecting with the audience and making [it] a part of the show [...] even if that means we’re going to break character because we’re giggling on stage, we know that the audience is still going to have fun with that.”

Their Stellenbosch audience displayed an openness towards fellow audience members smoking with the cast.

Gemmell explains, “It’s such an open space and [smoking together] creates a lot of trust between the audience and the actors [...]”

The cast doesn’t deny that the opportunity to smoke is a selling point for their show, but ventures to say that the performance may even be more enjoyable sober.

The cast has learnt the value of this bond with their audience after a year of performing both Twelfth Night and As You Like It to many different audiences in many different contexts.

Jake Maisel, the founder of Baked Shakespeare, jokes that Twelfth Night was their first good show. He adds that the theatre company has grown naturally since its start two years ago — so much so that it is now a licensed model, meaning that interested parties can buy the concept overseas.

More than twenty additional shows of As You Like It are on the cards for the company: a mention of the National Arts Festival (NAF) in June was met with whoops of excitement from the audience.

Maisel shares, “The crazy thing is [the festival organisers are] letting us do the proper concept so […] we’re smoking bongs on stage at NAF!”

Their excitement over the opportunity to do their show properly is encouraged by their fans’ support of the concept.

“It’s amazing that they remember most of their lines with their brains like mush. It’s something different and that’s engaging,” Michael Christison, an audience member and avid supporter, comments.

The professionalism of the cast and crew in producing the best show possible shows. With none of their rehearsals involving the