Things have been very quiet here for the past couple of months, but that does not mean that we are not hard at work! We have several research articles that are either in preparation or being reviewed by scientific journals, based on the data collected in our 2023 survey and the 2024 theatre performances. This will be a really important complement to the work we have done so far – but it is a slow process. While we are waiting for this, we have a few other updates to share.
Third run of ‘Unruly’ in July
We are really excited to announce that Unruly will return for a third run, at the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch. The play we created together with Empatheatre will run there from 17 July to 2 August as a regular theatre play – meaning that tickets won’t be free this time, and most performances will take place without the post-show discussion. We will make another announcement here when tickets are available (this time they will be sold by the Baxter via http://www.webtickets.co.za).
We were also incredibly honoured that Unruly received three nominations at the recent 60th Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards: Andrew Buckland for best performance by a lead actor; Chantal Willie-Petersen for best live performance; and Empatheatre/Unruly Natures/Stockholm Resilience Centre for best production. Even though we didn’t win, just getting a nomination (let alone three!) for our small production with its origins in a research project was really happy news!
Past and upcoming scientific conferences
Our work with Empatheatre has also caught the attention of the scientific community. This year in August, we have been invited to Johannesburg to give a performance of Unruly at the TC/ESG25 Conference, a biennial scientific conference that will be held in Africa for the first time. The conference “brings together researchers, experts, and their community partners who co-produce knowledge and actionable solutions for sustainability transformations.” The organisers are very excited about our work, so this will be a great opportunity to share both the play, and the findings from our other work in the Unruly Natures research project with an international audience of world-leading sustainability experts.
Speaking of conferences. Last year, Kinga and Johan attended the 6th annual Garden Route Interface and Networking (GRIN) meeting in Knysna, organised by SANParks, Nelson Mandela University, the Southern African Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society, and the French National Centre for Scientific Research. Our presentations were filmed, and are now available online if anyone wants to learn more about our work so far. Both have been added to this website’s Outputs page.
What about the other filmed stuff?
Yes – we also filmed the Unruly play during its last tour, and we have a documentary that is almost finished! Both are currently being edited, and later this year we are planning to organise screenings at high schools in baboon-visited areas – as well as make it available to anyone else who wants to organise a screening in their community. Watch this space or email unrulynatures@gmail.com if you want to know more about how to do this!
The documentary has been a little delayed, since we had to shoot some extra material (given all the changes that happened with the Baboon Programme and Sharkspotters early this year). Johan spent a day with Odendaal Esterhuyse, the filmmaker who has worked with us since the start of the project, out in Simon’s Town. In the middle of trying to explain how humans and baboons overlap on the Peninsula, parts of the Waterfall troop turned up and provided a very helpful illustration.
Unruly Natures Project 