Megans Head
Dog in Johannesburg

My opinions on theatre, animals - both furry and political, cricket, improvisation, performing, and anything else that's in my head.

It’s fantastic, feel good, team building, eye opening, hilarious and it works. Hey Megan, I’d love if you could get in touch with me as I’m a theatre researcher heading to G-town this year, booked Confession Sessions and interested in dropping through to Cape Town some time before. We are not religious (I am an atheist), we are not kosher, we are not Zionists, and we are as critical of the problems inherent in Judaism as we are prepared to acknowledge the good in it. It is confusing and unsettling and sometimes even achingly painful. A community that isn’t driven out and forced into the sea to become refugees if they survive. A community that isn’t locked in and shut out, and water rationed and policed. On the contrary, the Jewish community is far more able and capable of serving other genuinely embattled communities. The sale of Tafelberg, here on our doorstep, is a fantastic example. And there is a part of me that longs for a true, deep and meaningful connection with something Jewish; not religion, not even culture, but something else wrapped up in identity and belonging. Jasmine, the old Florence Purringale of the house has kicked into action, following us around, sleeping hard up against us and purring her head off. It is only Jonesie, the part time cat, who has not picked up on our needs, and continues with his irrational demands to be let in and out again whenever he screamingly calls for it. Often, neither of us can move because we are being pinned down by an animal who would be terribly disturbed if we did. They were always a dull grey colour and the eyes were always terrible, blank and scary. He, in huge top hat, holds books, while the girl child looks up adoringly at mother and father. And the message was (and still is) that they were coming to where nobody was. All the people that were actually there, in that place, were (and still are) invisible. Now imagine being a Xhosa person from exactly that place. Imagine looking at that representation of a family who stole the place of your family, your ancestors, your birthright. And this is why they get in first, call us names, become confrontational, and make the Vegan memes. But truthfully, it should work the other way around; like it does for smokers. Smokers are made to feel bad, and their habit is frowned upon. Don’t you think it is the meat eaters who are like the smokers, not the vegans?