<i>Speaking in Tongues: Bilingual Theatre Text Creation as Inclusive Actor Training</i>

To what extent can bilingual theatre text creation serve as a pedagogical strategy to enhance inclusivity, cultural agency, and performative competence in student actor training within a multilingual South African context?<i>Pinocchio 'n Pantomini</i> is a bilingual musical pantomime that reimagines Carlo Collodi’s classic tale within a South African sociocultural setting. The production was collaboratively devised with undergraduate students and performed in both Afrikaans and English. Set in the fictional town of Fussili, the narrative follows Pinocchio’s journey toward becoming a “real boy,” framed by moral choices and community interaction. Key characters include Kroke-é Kriek, a sardonic narrator-conscience, and Miss Riri Co-a, a flamboyant drag fairy guardian.In addition to scripted dialogue, the production featured original lyrics composed specifically for the performance. These songs—such as <i>“Dreams Collide”</i>, <i>“Strings”</i>, and <i>“Pleasure Island”</i>—functioned not only as narrative devices but also as expressive training tools, enabling students to explore characterisation, rhythm, and bilingual lyricism through embodied performance.

在南非多语言语境下，双语戏剧文本创作作为教学策略，能够在多大程度上提升学生演员培训中的包容性、文化主体性与表演能力？《Pinocchio 'n Pantomini》（《匹诺曹与哑剧演员们》）是一部双语音乐哑剧，将卡洛·科洛迪（Carlo Collodi）的经典童话重新改编为适配南非社会文化语境的版本。该作品由本科生参与合作创编，以南非荷兰语与英语双语呈现演出。故事设定于虚构小镇富西利（Fussili），叙事围绕匹诺曹成长为"真正的男孩"的历程展开，核心围绕道德抉择与社群互动两大主题。主要角色包括愤世嫉俗的叙述者兼良心形象克罗克-埃·克里克（Kroke-é Kriek），以及风格华丽张扬的变装仙女守护者里里·科阿小姐（Miss Riri Co-a）。除台本台词外，该作品还包含专为本次演出创作的原创歌词。诸如《Dreams Collide》（《梦想碰撞》）、《Strings》（《牵线》）与《Pleasure Island》（《欢乐岛》）这类曲目，不仅承担叙事功能，同时也是兼具表现力的训练载体，使学生能够通过具身表演探索角色塑造、节奏把控与双语抒情表达。