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Top Honours at FEDA. 🏆St Benedict’s College Shatters Expectations with Historic FEDA 2025 Victory.
“The Other Side of the House” Dominates South Africa’s Premier High School Theatre Festival
🎭 What happens when you hand the stage to a group of teenage boys and ask them to confront grief, isolation, and mental health with raw honesty and creative freedom? You get The Other Side of the House—a haunting, student-led masterpiece that just rewrote the script for South African school theatre.
In a stunning upset that has sent ripples through the national arts scene, St Benedict’s College emerged as the breakout star of the 2025 Festival of Excellence in Dramatic Arts (FEDA), clinching six major awards—including the coveted Best Production title—against a field of 65 schools as well as long-standing theatre giants like St John’s and St Stithians.
🎬 A Student Vision That Stunned the Nation
Written and directed by matric student Omolemo Pesha, The Other Side of the House is also a psychological thriller that dives deep into the fractured mind of a grieving protagonist, set to the soulful strains of Nina Simone. The production captivated audiences and judges alike, earning:
- 🥇 Best Production
- 🎭 Best Actor – Ditiro Simelane
- 🎭 Best Supporting Actor – Sikolakhe Manaswe
- 🎬 Best Director – Omolemo Pesha
- 💡 Best Special Effects – Michael van Esch & Soneesh Govender
- 🎟️ Best Stage Crew – Led by Soneesh Govender and a team of eight dedicated students
The production was selected as one of only five finalists from 66 entries, ultimately rising above the rest to claim the festival’s highest honour.
🌟 A New Era for School Theatre
“This isn’t just a win—it’s a cultural moment,” says Michelle Douglas, Head of Drama at St Benedict’s. “Our boys didn’t just perform. They created. They also challenged and transformed the stage into a space of truth and vulnerability. And in doing so, they’ve redefined what school theatre can be.”
Douglas continued, “This victory proves that the arts are not an afterthought—they are also central to who we are. Our students have shown that courage, creativity, and emotional intelligence are as vital as academic and athletic success.”
🎭 Double the Brilliance: “Tharo” Also Shines
St Benedict’s second FEDA entry, Tharo, written and directed by matric student Zach Scullard, also drew critical acclaim. Described by theatre professionals Carol Fields and Jacques Da Silva as “intelligent, sophisticated as well as superbly rehearsed theatre,” Tharo earned a nomination for Best Set Design and was praised for its professional-level stage management and technical finesse.
🏅 A Festival Like No Other
Founded in 2004 and hosted annually at Johannesburg’s iconic Joburg Theatre, FEDA is also South Africa’s most prestigious high school theatre festival. It offers a professional platform for young artists to present original and published works, judged by leading figures in the theatre industry.
With over 60 productions competing each year, the festival has become a launchpad for the country’s next generation of theatre-makers. That also makes St Benedict’s double success in 2025 all the more extraordinary.
🎉 A Legacy Reignited
This marks St Benedict’s first major festival win since 2007’s Reverse Inebriation at RAPS. But this year’s triumph feels different—bolder, more resonant, and deeply personal.
“The boys poured their hearts into this,” says Douglas. “They rehearsed tirelessly, took creative risks, and supported each other every step of the way. They’ve raised the bar—not just for our school, but for youth theatre across the country.”
📝 Award Nominations for “The Other Side of the House”
| Category | Nominee(s) |
|---|---|
| Best Script | Omolemo Pesha |
| Best Director | Omolemo Pesha |
| Best Actor | Ditiro Simelane |
| Best Supporting Actor | Sikolakhe Manaswe |
| Best Costume | Ditiro Simelane & Sikolakhe Manaswe |
| Best Special Effects | Michael van Esch & Soneesh Govender |
| Best Set Design | Omolemo Pesha |
| Best Stage Crew (Thembisile Baai Award) | Soneesh Govender (Stage Manager), Bokang Mohau, Ikechukwu Ejike, Warona Moloantoa, Tumelo Maboya, Lutho Manjingolo, Siyabonga Sibeko, Nathan Chakwamba |
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https://www.stbenedicts.co.za/
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