Work is inextricably tied to spirituality, and the kind of work we do impacts our lives in varying capacities. So, what happens to those who ignore or become disconnected from the spiritual component of their lives through their commitment to labour?

Inspired by tales from the mines, singer, composer, and theatre-maker Princess Tshabangu delves into the role of ritualistic and spiritual labour in the city through her performance of The Stone Crusher.

Further exploring her own musical and physical performance, Tshabangu tells the tale of a narrative song healer who, through the frantic nature of the city and the pressures of the informal mining trade, forgets her role of singing to, and appeasing the gods in her work. Now, it is time to return to the earth and to collect the spirits lost to the mines.   

The Stone Crusher is a performance which reflects on the kind of work we choose to engage with, the ways in which spirituality is included or forgotten in daily practice, and the effects of contemporary industrialisation and systems of labour on our lives. 

Conceptualised & performed by | Princess Tshabangu
Directed by | Phala Ookeditse Phala
Choreography by | Thabo Rapoo
Cinematography by | Noah Cohen
Writing by | David Mann