PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - It is often said that once you make a name for yourself, you should never forget where you come from. For Plettenberg Bay storyteller and theatre-maker Matthew Smith (28), those words have taken on a special meaning as his passion for storytelling and the arts is taking him beyond his hometown - and he takes its stories with him.
Smith, founder and creative director of Hartsgrond Produksies, never imagined that his passion for storytelling would be recognised on home soil and take him to stages beyond Plettenberg Bay.
Now, his production Ons is nog hier is heading to the Toyota US Woordfees in Stellenbosch this October.
Exploring human trafficking
Written by Smith and directed by Tamia Thompson, the production features Franka Kirby, Adri-Jo Waterboer and Cara Rossouw. It explores human trafficking through the lives of young women caught between desperation, survival, friendship, betrayal and the search for truth.
Although tackling a serious and unsettling subject, the production uses humour, warmth and relatable moments to draw audiences into the characters' lives before revealing the full weight of their circumstances.
"For me, Ons is nog hier asks audiences to look beyond the headlines and numbers," Smith says. "These characters are not presented only as victims. They are young people with humour, flaws, dreams and voices."
The production was developed through the NATi Rising Stars programme at the Jakes Gerwel Foundation's Paulet House in Somerset East, providing an opportunity for the story to be developed and prepared for professional festival stages.
Milestones
The Woordfees appearance marks a second milestone for Hartsgrond Produksies, which was founded to develop theatre from local communities and give stories from Plettenberg Bay, New Horizons and surrounding areas a platform beyond their place of origin.
The company's breakthrough production, PAS, won best overall production, best writer and best actress at the 2025 DCAS Theatre Festival finals. It was subsequently invited to the Zabalaza Festival's Best of DCAS programme and the Suidoosterfees at Artscape.
Representing the local community
"Hartsgrond began with a simple belief: where you come from should never determine how far your story is allowed to travel," Smith says. "We are going to Woordfees not only as a production company, but as representatives of every young creative who has ever wondered whether their voice matters."
Ons is nog hier will be staged at the Toyota US Woordfees in Stellenbosch from 3 to 11 October.
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