Pupils in KuGompo are in for a powerful and immersive educational experience as the Sonwa Sakuba Institute for the Performing Arts (SSIPA) launches its much-anticipated Funda Festival this May.
The festival kicked-off at the Alexander Playhouse in Chiselhurst on Wednesday and is set to conclude Sunday. The much anticipated event is set to turn prescribed school textbooks into compelling live performances, bringing stories off the page and onto the stage.
At the heart of the initiative is founder and artistic director Sonwa Sakuba, whose vision was sparked by the overwhelming response to a previous production.
Sakuba said the festival was inspired by their 2025 production ‘Buzani ku Bawo.’
“Teachers told us that after watching it, learners couldn’t stop talking about the performance for weeks. In class, they began referencing what they saw on stage rather than only what they had read,” Sakuba said.
“They had a fuller, more vivid understanding of the story.”
He said that response lit a spark. Recognising the potential to transform how literature is taught and understood, Sakuba began exploring how more prescribed works could be brought to life in the same way.
The result is a festival that blends education with professional theatre, something Sakuba believes is both necessary and long overdue.
“Education is always important, but this approach, bringing prescribed works to life like this, hasn’t really been done before on this scale,” he said.
The Funda Festival will feature multiple productions daily, covering prescribed texts across isiXhosa, English and Creative Arts curricula. Unlike traditional theatre, audiences will have the unique opportunity to watch several different productions in a single day.
“It differs mainly because it’s a festival format,” Sakuba said.
“You can watch three or four different productions in one day. But each production still stands on its own as a full theatrical experience.”
Sakuba said the texts featured were carefully selected in consultation with teachers from various schools, ensuring that the productions align directly with what pupils are studying in classrooms.
“We engaged educators to find out which books are currently being taught. That way, we ensure the festival is relevant and useful to learners right now.”
Beyond entertainment, the festival has a clear academic goal: improving pupils’ comprehension and performance.
Sakuba believes that live performance provides a powerful reference point for students, particularly during exams.
“When learners watch these productions, they gain a visual understanding of the story.
“It’s like watching a film, you remember what you saw. So, when they write exams, they can recall specific scenes, characters and emotions from the stage.
“I really hope it boosts their marks, but more importantly, that it deepens their understanding.
“The festival is not only a learning tool for pupils but also a platform for young performers,” Sakuba said.
Many of the productions will be staged by SSIPA’s post-matric students, performers who have previously studied these same texts.
“For our performers, it’s a full-circle moment,” he said.
“They studied these works in school, and now they get to perform them.
“It deepens their understanding of language, character and storytelling, and takes them to another level as artists.”
While the festival is rooted in KuGompo, its future may stretch far beyond. Interest has already been expressed from other Eastern Cape cities.
“We’ve had requests from Makhanda and Gqeberha. We’re definitely looking at expanding in the future, and we’ll be back again next year,” said Sakuba.
There are also plans to introduce post-show Q&A sessions, giving pupils and teachers the chance to engage directly with performers and unpack the productions in greater depth.
“It would be great to hear from learners, what they understood, how they interpreted characters, what stood out to them.”
With tickets available through Webtickets and even a tuckshop on site, the Funda Festival is shaping up to be both an educational and cultural experience, one that could redefine how literature is taught in schools.
Ultimately, Sakuba hopes the festival will leave a lasting impression.
“This is about making learning come alive. We want learners to not just read stories, but to experience them.”
