Speaking in Tongues: Bilingual Theatre Text Creation as Inclusive Actor Training

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?Pinocchio 'n Pantomini 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 “Dreams Collide”, “Strings”, and “Pleasure Island”—functioned not only as narrative devices but also as expressive training tools, enabling students to explore characterisation, rhythm, and bilingual lyricism through embodied performance.