In love with theatre

MASERU – IT was a latent talent that he never thought he had. That was until a friend introduced him to theatre in 2018.

From that moment, Maketekete Ranoha, who is only 24, fell in love with theatre and has never looked back.

For Ranoha, acting comes naturally. When he is on stage, he is at peace with himself and with his audience. That is no small feat for an actor who many say is only a novice.

When Ranoha plays a part that requires him to cry, you would bet he is personally aggrieved.

It is the same when he plays a role needing him to laugh.

With his raw talent, it is evident that the sky is the limit for Ranoha.

Ranoha is starring in Menyabuketso, a series on Lesotho Television, which is about a young man who has been deprived of his inheritance by his stepmother.

In the drama he is very humble and respectful, traits he displays as if he is not acting.

Although he began acting only four years ago, it has become a big thing in his life.

He says he started taking it seriously in 2019 after he was introduced to theatre by a friend in 2018.

“I went there without any strong desire but upon my arrival I found that the environment was different from what I imagined it to be,” Ranoha says.

“They made things I didn’t think I would love and right there a seed was planted,” he says.

He recalls that two days after he arrived, people began to show him how much they believed in his ability as an actor.

“They saw something that I couldn’t see in myself – that potential to be an actor,” Ranoha who is based in Marabeng says.

“That motivated me until I felt so addicted to drama. Sometimes I felt like skipping work and going straight to theatre.”

Ranoha would use every opportunity he got to get to the theatre-house as he felt it was the only place that brought him happiness.

“My ability to associate with other people made things easier.”

In 2019, Ranoha joined Bahale Arts Development Centre where they staged a drama of Moshoeshoe le Malimo (Moshoeshoe and Cannibals), directed by Liatile Mohale.

Bahale Arts Development Centre is an institution whose purpose is to develop high-level performance skills to new and existing members of the creative and entertainment industries in Lesotho and beyond.

“This is where I developed my love for directing, and the fact that Tumisang Semuli who was directing our plays would leave me in charge was a cherry on top,” he says.

Ranoha says people who he was working with cooperated so well with him and as a result he was offered a directing job.

However, he says he loves acting more.

“Sometimes I would be sad when he’s not around because it means that I have to direct not act,” he says.

Ranoha has directed two professional projects that fall under Sapuruma Production, the Menyabuketso series and a film titled Thabo ke Masoabi.

He is currently an actor and director of the Menyabuketso series where he acts as Seqiti, a young man who is not having it easy at all, whose life is rough.

“I first observe people around me who are more like my character because that helps me understand my role better,” he says.

“I also have to understand who Seqiti really is, how he lives and how he feels about things happening to him.”

He says when he is given a script he takes time to prepare himself mentally so that he can portray the character well.

“I give it my all. I want the audience to see that character not me as I am.”

As much as Ranoha loves acting so much he still has boundaries on what projects to work on.

“I don’t see myself working on a project with pornography and nudity because of my moral convictions as an individual.”

The journey was never smooth but at the end of the day he knows what his passion is.

Even when he receives negative comments he holds no grudges instead he uses them as a motivation to do better.

“Negative comments make me see that I’m not working hard enough. Sometimes we’ve got to put our egos aside.”

Sometimes, Ranoha has to compromise on his beliefs.

In one play, he had to act as if he was gay in one street theatre where they were giving to the needy children.

He says acting that part was very hard for him. He even felt like quiting. However, he remembered that acting is his passion not just a meaningless hobby.

He then told himself no matter how much he was afraid he had to face it.

“I hold nothing against gay people. My only issue was having to act as one,” he says.

Ranoha did not only take part in acting and directing he also opened a theatre in Marabeng because of his passion but unfortunately it did not succeed because of lack of sponsors and resources.

“When the weather was bad we could not attend rehearsals because they were done outside. But I’m happy that not any of the theatres I was part of did not succeed because of romantic affairs with the cast members.”

He says he always made sure that anyone who caused problems was removed because he did not want the theatre to be ruined in his hands.

Ranoha believes that Lesotho has so much talent and if the government invests in film it can grow the tourism industry and help create jobs for the youths.

“Our films can show beautiful landscapes and nature.”

Not any of these obstacles will make Ranoha give up his dream of being one of the best local and international actors and directors.

“Every time when I think of giving up I look back where I come from and feel more determined,” he says.

He says his goal is to make the film industry in Lesotho strong.

“If I can’t change this situation then I (would have failed).”

Asked if he is sometimes pressured to flirt with female members of his cast, Ranoha says he does not want to mix business with pleasure.

Many young aspiring actors, he says, fall into the trap and end up ruining their careers.

He says dating crew members would be highly unprofessional.

“I was once attracted to a girl who we worked together with and by the look of things the feeling was mutual,” he says.

“I bottled up all the feelings inside because I respect my job.”

“When it comes to acting I prefer being professional over everything because I don’t want anything that would ruin things for me,” he says.

Mpolai Makhetha