Freddy Nyezi 

African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town

Freddy Nyezi (he/they) is an interdisciplinary artist, educator and aspiring scholar whose practice bridges theatre, performance, and education. 

He holds a Master’s degree in Theatre and Performance (with distinction) from the University of Cape Town, a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Performance (with Honours), and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education specialising in English and Dramatic Arts. His performances often unfold in unconventional spaces, where he deliberately blurs the boundaries between performer and audience, inviting participation and cultivating the idea of the spect-actor.

His recent research delved into the power of stor(y)ing through folktales as a method of critical fabulation, a creative and political effort to evidence the histories of queer African peoples within (South) African archives. His Master’s work reimagines folktales as sites of resistance and restoration, where queer lives are presented, represented, and re-presented against hegemonic narratives that deem queerness un-African. Through this, Freddy seeks to reinsert queerness into African collective memory and contribute to a more inclusive cultural landscape.