Penny has been arrested for stabbing her boyfriend after an act of domestic violence. He also happens to be the director of the TV-series she stars in. With charges against her for attempted murder and defamation of character, Penny has to think about the dangers of mixing show business with pleasure. Using comedy, drama and a non-linear narrative Penny reflects on her art, life, journey, and the decisions that led her to this cell.

Zethu Dlomo plays multiple characters from Penny’s life; her mother, her dog-obsessed agent, her boss at Best Jozi Burgers, and the man she loved and stabbed. A story exploring love, passion, violence on the black body, wearing black skin in art, and the cost of pursuing your dreams.

Follow Penny’s journey as her frustration grows and she is finally forced to make a choice about what she wants to do with her life. With an overwhelming love for her craft and an uncompromising burning passion for storytelling and acting, Penny realises that the only person who can help her change her life, is herself.

Penny tackles the issues of South Africa’s theatre industry in a funny, thought provoking way. It is meta-theatre making serious statements about the arts in South Africa 21 years into our democracy. The director has used all the accoutrements of theatre, radio and film to create a performance that is highly theatrical and entertaining.

Penny was commissioned and produced by Gita Pather and the Wits Theatre for the 2015 So Solo Festival.

Zethu Dlomo is a film, television and theatre actress- and winner of the Naldi Theatre award for Best breakthrough performance is 2015. She has starred in plays, movies, several television series and can be seen in Black Sails as "Maddie".

Audience Responses

Brilliant!!! Will watch it again. And well done to you guys for this great initiative. I love your space.

I hope this comment will be forwarded to Zethu Dlomo. It’s not about her work, but about a single throwaway line within it: That she loves acting “as much as a Jewish person loves money”. I am a Jewish person, and I do not love money. Nor did my parents or grandparents, as our life-choices repeatedly testify. Perhaps Zethu Dlomo will cast an eye on her own prejudices, as she asks us to cast an eye on ours.

Loved this show and the actress is AMAZING! Tight, polished direction, physically on point, with an arresting blend of comedy and drama pulling back the veils from the performing industry. Glad I could catch it here having missed it at NAF last year. And damn - so interesting to see so much new young vibrant work from Joburg! They've got it going on...

Brilliant 12/10