‘Little prince’ finds home in Namib Desert

A Celebrated French classic will get a local spin as ‘A Little Prince in Namibia’ takes the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) stage this week.

Presented by Ombetja Yehinga Organisation (OYO) and directed by Philippe Talavera, the production is an adaptation of ‘Le Petit Prince’ by Antoine de Saint Exupéry in honour of the book’s 80th anniversary.

‘A Little Prince in Namibia’ will be on show at the NTN on Thursday and Friday and brings to life a story Talavera first read as a child.
“I’ve always loved the book, having read it as a child, then as a teenager and years later as an adult,” he says.

“I bought the English version, and started to dream of a local adaptation. In the book, a pilot crashes in a non-descript desert. But what if it had been near Sossusvlei? Slowly but surely, the script started to form.”

Since its first publication, ‘The Little Prince’ has been translated into over 600 languages. It’s universal themes of isolation, loneliness, friendship, the search for meaning and the loss of childhood wonder continue to resonate with young and old audiences around the world.

A large-scale production of 13 actors, four musicians, 12 OYO dancers and a choir, ‘A Little Prince in Namibia’ is a musical and dance showcase featuring a host of rising stars.

“The cast includes the likes of Nythen Dien, Galilei Njembo and Alison Mbayo with a special appearance by renowned opera singer Elisaveta Dreyden. And, of course, our very little prince, Justin Tshabalala, who was first seen in the film ‘Lukas’”, says Talavera.

“The OYO dance troupe portrays the thoughts of the little prince and the cast includes Desmond Kamerika, Sydney Farao and Mary-Jane Andreas. There is also a choir with 35 teenagers.”

Talavera’s decision to include a teen choir is one that aims to fuel sustained interest in theatre.
“Young people are the artists of tomorrow.

They need to be exposed to good productions, not just as audiences but also as participants,” he says.

“They can learn about the discipline that goes into creating good art. The choir will perform two beautiful ballads and one challenging piece, ‘The Baobabs’.”

A Little Prince in Namibia’ is supported by the French Consulate in South Africa in partnership with the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre (FNCC) and the NTN. Ticket sales from the show will assist in funding a free matinee for schools. However, the production is not recommended for children under 10 years old.

“Everybody can enjoy the production – but because of the narration, we don’t recommend it for children under 10,” says Talavera.
“Children will take it as a fairytale while adults will look for the deeper meaning,”

Following this year’s ‘God of Women’, ‘Forty Years of Fabulous’, ‘Koko’ and ‘You Have Loved Enough’, ‘A Little Prince in Namibia’ premieres in somewhat of a local theatrical renaissance.

Talavera hopes this uptick will inspire increased support of the industry.

“I hope to see more funding and a better strategy from all sectors, including the government. There can’t be theatre without audiences – so we need to develop and educate audiences.

We also need to stage more productions,” Talavera says.

“The rental of the theatre should be cheaper, so that more creatives can access the space. If cheaper, we could lower the ticket prices – so attract more audiences.

If we build followers, step by step we can increase prices, until eventually artists can make a proper living out of their arts,” he says.

“We need strategies in place, so that more variety is offered to the public and the public becomes not only wiling but actually eager to pay for the arts,” he says.

“Namibia has the means and the talent to have a vibrant creative industry.”

‘A Little Prince in Namibia’ will be on show at the National Theatre of Namibia on 14 and 15 August at 19h00. Tickets are available in advance from Webtickets and at the door.

– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.