Don’t be afraid to show your truth: This actor reveals the liberating power of honesty

How do you express your truth? Tony Miyambo uses theatre to channel authenticity. Each of his globally-renowned shows displays the power of performance when it comes from an honest place. But keeping intentions pure can be tricky in an industry where acts are shaped to fit what society wants to see. “My work is creating the opportunity to have conversations we usually shy away from,” Miyambo says.

In the harmony of poetry and acting, he found his calling. “Theatre helps me understand myself a little better every day,” Miyambo says. His father’s encouragement was the catalyst to Miyambo’s future as a performer. When he passed away, Miyambo created The Cenotaph of Dan wa Moriri. The one-man act recreates his unabated grief and pulls at the audience’s heartstrings. By writing, directing, and acting in his own productions, Miyambo fully inhabits his characters. The stage becomes a foundation of purpose and a space to work through issues of racism, suffering, and transformation.

Despite his rejection of mainstream theatre, Miyambo’s work has been well received. He was named Best Male Actor at SETKÁNÍ/ENCOUNTER, a festival of theatre schools in the Czech Republic in 2012, while his play, Kafka’s Ape, won the Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award at the 2015 National Arts Festival. His unfiltered acts have taken over stages across the globe, including the Westside Theatre in New York and The Junction in Dubai. Miyambo’s work is raw, courageous, and provides a platform for recognition. “It is absolutely critical that people have a voice,” he says. “We as South Africans shouldn’t be afraid to show our truths because it’s what makes us who we are.”

Footage by Neo Rathebe as well as Noah Cohen, courtesy of The Centre for the Less Good Idea, was used in the making of this film. 

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