Writer: Sifiso Ona Ngwane | Photographs: Supplied
Late June 2025 saw the Market Theatre’s Kippies Fringe programme, curated by The Art Cave, launch with a lively and thought-provoking children’s play, The Hyena’s Tuckshop. Written and directed by Mongezi Ntukwana, this award-winning production (winner of Best Script and Best Director at the 2025 National Children’s Theatre’s Young Directors Festival) offers a whirlwind of humour, music, dance, and important life lessons in a compact 50-seater venue. Starring Bandile Sika, Ngwedi Ramphele, Muzi Trust, and Matshepo Molefe, who work as a strong ensemble, and choreographed by Phiwokuhle Sibande, the show captivates young audiences and their families with vibrant storytelling and strong social commentary, making it a memorable theatre experience.
At its heart, The Hyena’s Tuckshop is a playful allegory inspired by real issues surrounding food safety in South African schools, especially in townships where children have tragically lost their lives due to contaminated snacks sold at tuckshops. The story features a cunning hyena running a shady tuckshop at Kip Kip Primary School, selling unsafe goods at high prices. The school lunch lady laments the presence of the hyena, saying, “Another day, another pot of stew untouched,” and that the children are obsessed with eating “chips that crunch like robots shaking hands.” Her only customer is a quick-witted rabbit who dares to challenge the hyena’s exploitative approach, sparking a story of rebellion, justice, and empowerment. Grounded in a serious issue, the narrative is skilfully adapted for a young audience through humour, cartoon-style characters, and lively performances, ensuring the message is clear without being overly heavy.
The play’s greatest strength lies in its ability to balance entertainment with education. As Philangezwi Nxumalo, co-founder of The Art Cave, explains, “Children learn best when they’re entertained. They hold on tight to what makes them laugh and sets their spirits free.” The Hyena’s Tuckshop embodies this belief, using laughter and joy to teach lessons about courage, responsibility, and questioning authority, with the rabbit crying to her father, saying, “I can’t excel academically if the ceiling is placed too low for me.” Its relevance is reinforced by recent reports of food safety crises, with the rabbit teaching the children in the playground about their ‘5 Cs’, making it both a timely intervention and a universal story about confronting injustice.
The vibrant energy of the show is conveyed through its dynamic use of music and dance, especially Pantsula-inspired choreography that gets audiences tapping along. Live music by Relebohile Ketlele adds soul to the performance, creating an infectious rhythm that appeals to both children and adults. The cartoon-like characters, portrayed with wit and vigour, enhance the visual appeal, transforming the intimate Kippies Fringe stage into a lively playground and classroom of imagination. The colourful aesthetic and lively performances ensure young viewers remain engaged, while the underlying messages leave a lasting impression.
Director Mongezi Ntukwana’s vision shines through in the seamless integration of these elements. His direction has garnered praise and creates a cohesive experience that feels both playful and purposeful. The play’s ability to “ignite imagination” and “build children’s confidence,” as Ntukwana states, is evident in its interactive and empowering nature. With characters like Officer Mthombeni, who colludes with the hyena to suppress the children’s agency in the name of commerce—banning the lunch lady and students from bringing their own lunch to school while stating, “this is about discipline. Taste is a privilege”—the production encourages young audiences to ask bold questions and trust their instincts, fostering a rare sense of agency in children’s theatre.
What sets The Hyena’s Tuckshop apart is its commitment to addressing serious social issues in a way that resonates with its audience. By utilising a familiar school setting and characters like Mrs. Trumphuizen, the English teacher whom the rabbit describes as “thick as mud,” the play effectively illustrates the impact of Mthombeni’s new censorship law, which divides the school into those who can ‘talk’ and those who are silenced. This approach simplifies complex themes such as justice and resistance, making them accessible to children. As Nxumalo describes, the play “magically unlocks social awareness and comprehension,” empowering children to speak up for themselves in a world where they often sense unfairness but lack the tools to address it. This method reaffirms the role of children’s theatre as a powerful form of interactive learning, blending playfulness with purpose.
The Hyena’s Tuckshop is a triumph of children’s theatre, blending hilarious humour, infectious music, and Pantsula-inspired dance with a heartfelt message about courage and responsibility. Mongezi Ntukwana’s award-winning script and direction create a world that is both wildly entertaining and deeply meaningful, giving young audiences a chance to laugh, learn, and reflect. While the show’s brief run of five performances might have left some wishing for more opportunities to see it, its impact is undeniable. For Johannesburg families looking to ignite their children’s imagination while engaging with real-world issues, The Hyena’s Tuckshop is essential viewing the next time it’s on circuit.
