The new production and world tour of the rock musical “We Will Rock You” is currently on at the Artscape Theatre until June 5 and it is enjoying critical acclaim and rave reviews.
When the curtain rises on Mother’s Day and at every “We Will Rock You” performance, the highly talented cast takes to the stage, ready to entertain the audiences. Meanwhile, backstage there are “performances” of a different nature taking place.
From wardrobe to lighting, sound and props to technical and staging, it’s a hive of behind-the-scenes activity.
The all-South African “We Will Rock You” company comprises 27 cast members, six band members and 37 crew members.
Among the crew, we got to meet a unique group of workers who happen to be a special Mother’s Day treat as moms and sons work alongside each other to make the production a success.
Cape Town mother and grandmother Shamielah Ederies celebrates Mother’s Day while working on “We Will Rock You” alongside her two sons, Moegamat Cloete and Enrico Cloete, and her grandson Marcellino Cloete.
Shamielah’s daughter-in-law and mom to Marcellino, Karen Cloete, is another “We Will Rock You” mother working this Mother’s Day.
The Cloete family call themselves a “theatre family”.
Shamielah, the matriarch, began working for the then CAPAB in the Wardrobe department in 1975 when her son Moegamat was a baby.
She has continued to work in theatre in various capacities in Wardrobe ever since and has very many opera, drama and musical theatre productions under her belt, including touring internationally with productions.
“It’s because of me, the rest of the family was introduced to theatre. It started with my two sons, Moegamat and Enrico, followed by Enrico’s wife, Karen, and now, most recently, by Karen and Enrico’s son, Marcellino.”
Moegamat and Enrico’s careers have been in theatre as lighting and stage technicians for most of their lives.
For “We Will Rock You”, Moegamat is lighting technician number 2, and Enrico is head mechanist. Both are experienced technicians, having worked on many productions in South Africa and toured internationally with many productions that originated in South Africa.
Karen began working in theatre in 1999, also in Wardrobe. Her first production was the opera “Rigoletto”.
Marcellino, the third generation of the family working in theatre, is continuing the tradition. He cracks the whip as one of the stage technicians on “We Will Rock You”.
Karen told IOL Entertainment: “It’s been a ride working along with the Cloete family. We have had fun working together all these years. We have done many shows together at Artscape which are very memorable to us.”
Meanwhile, Naseba Daniels will also be working with her son Waheed Daniels, ensuring the “We Will Rock You“ costume changes and wardrobe activities run smoothly.
Naseba began her career as a qualified enrolled nurse, but changed her career path to theatre in 1996 after being introduced to theatre by her two sisters who worked at Artscape. At that time, Waheed had just started Grade 1.
Naseba is currently the deputy wardrobe mistress on “We Will Rock You” and has long experience working on productions that have toured South Africa and internationally.
Waheed’s introduction to theatre was in 2019 with the production “CHICAGO”, also working in the Wardrobe department.
Naseba told IOL Entertainment: “I enjoy the adrenalin rush that comes with the job, having to always be alert and ready for any eventuality that comes with working in live theatre, meeting new people, and the added bonus of travelling that comes with international touring productions.
“Having Waheed now also working in theatre and with me, he understands the excitement when working on productions.”
Waheed said: “Apart from being able to spend time with my mother, I can witness the work she does backstage which the audience then sees on stage, and to learn from her.”