ENG3704 Assignment 2 2025
2 2025
Unique Number:
Due date: August 2025
QUESTION 1
Karoo Moose: Metatheatre and the Exposure of Gender-Based Violence
Lara Foot’s Karoo Moose is a powerful South African stage play that uses unusual
storytelling techniques to highlight the effects of gender-based violence (GBV). Rather than
relying on realistic sets and linear action, the play uses metatheatrical devices to tell
Thozama’s story. These devices include non-traditional narration, role-switching by actors,
symbolic props, and abrupt shifts in setting. This style is known as metatheatre, and it
encourages the audience to think about how stories are told, instead of simply watching
events unfold. In Karoo Moose, this approach helps uncover the layers of violence, trauma,
and silence surrounding GBV. The play draws attention to how young girls like Thozama are
abused and ignored in communities marked by poverty, patriarchy, and shame. Metatheatre
does not take the audience away from reality, but rather challenges them to face it more
directly.
DISCLAIMER & TERMS OF USE
Educational Aid: These study notes are intended to be used as educational resources and should not be seen as a
replacement for individual research, critical analysis, or professional consultation. Students are encouraged to perform
their own research and seek advice from their instructors or academic advisors for specific assignment guidelines.
Personal Responsibility: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information in
these study notes, the seller does not guarantee the completeness or correctness of all content. The buyer is
responsible for verifying the accuracy of the information and exercising their own judgment when applying it to their
assignments.
Academic Integrity: It is essential for students to maintain academic integrity and follow their institution's policies
regarding plagiarism, citation, and referencing. These study notes should be used as learning tools and sources of
inspiration. Any direct reproduction of the content without proper citation and acknowledgment may be considered
academic misconduct.
Limited Liability: The seller shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, losses, or consequences arising from
the use of these notes. This includes, but is not limited to, poor academic performance, penalties, or any other negative
consequences resulting from the application or misuse of the information provided.
, For additional support +27 81 278 3372
QUESTION 1
Karoo Moose: Metatheatre and the Exposure of Gender-Based Violence
Lara Foot’s Karoo Moose is a powerful South African stage play that uses unusual
storytelling techniques to highlight the effects of gender-based violence (GBV).
Rather than relying on realistic sets and linear action, the play uses metatheatrical
devices to tell Thozama’s story. These devices include non-traditional narration, role-
switching by actors, symbolic props, and abrupt shifts in setting. This style is known
as metatheatre, and it encourages the audience to think about how stories are told,
instead of simply watching events unfold. In Karoo Moose, this approach helps
uncover the layers of violence, trauma, and silence surrounding GBV. The play
draws attention to how young girls like Thozama are abused and ignored in
communities marked by poverty, patriarchy, and shame. Metatheatre does not take
the audience away from reality, but rather challenges them to face it more directly.
This essay will show how metatheatrical devices influence the play’s portrayal of
GBV by drawing on the insights of Kruger (2022) and Mohoto (2015). Both critics
agree that Foot’s approach moves beyond naturalistic theatre to question power,
silence, and trauma. In this discussion, I will examine the structure of the play, the
role of the Moose, the shifting narrators and characters, and the use of songs and
symbols. These elements work together to create a bold statement about how GBV
is experienced, remembered, and retold in South Africa.
Breaking the Fourth Wall: Direct Narration and Audience Involvement
One of the clearest examples of metatheatre in Karoo Moose is the use of direct
narration. Instead of watching events unfold naturally, the audience is constantly
reminded that they are watching a performance. The narrators step out of character
to explain the setting, comment on characters, and even reflect on the story itself.
For example, the play begins with the actors entering a bare stage, each holding a
symbolic object. The Moose is introduced not with realism, but through dance,
rhythm, and sound. As the actors prepare the stage like a sacred space, the narrator
tells the audience that this is a story "sent by the gods" that can only be spoken by
the "curious and the brave".
2 2025
Unique Number:
Due date: August 2025
QUESTION 1
Karoo Moose: Metatheatre and the Exposure of Gender-Based Violence
Lara Foot’s Karoo Moose is a powerful South African stage play that uses unusual
storytelling techniques to highlight the effects of gender-based violence (GBV). Rather than
relying on realistic sets and linear action, the play uses metatheatrical devices to tell
Thozama’s story. These devices include non-traditional narration, role-switching by actors,
symbolic props, and abrupt shifts in setting. This style is known as metatheatre, and it
encourages the audience to think about how stories are told, instead of simply watching
events unfold. In Karoo Moose, this approach helps uncover the layers of violence, trauma,
and silence surrounding GBV. The play draws attention to how young girls like Thozama are
abused and ignored in communities marked by poverty, patriarchy, and shame. Metatheatre
does not take the audience away from reality, but rather challenges them to face it more
directly.
DISCLAIMER & TERMS OF USE
Educational Aid: These study notes are intended to be used as educational resources and should not be seen as a
replacement for individual research, critical analysis, or professional consultation. Students are encouraged to perform
their own research and seek advice from their instructors or academic advisors for specific assignment guidelines.
Personal Responsibility: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information in
these study notes, the seller does not guarantee the completeness or correctness of all content. The buyer is
responsible for verifying the accuracy of the information and exercising their own judgment when applying it to their
assignments.
Academic Integrity: It is essential for students to maintain academic integrity and follow their institution's policies
regarding plagiarism, citation, and referencing. These study notes should be used as learning tools and sources of
inspiration. Any direct reproduction of the content without proper citation and acknowledgment may be considered
academic misconduct.
Limited Liability: The seller shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, losses, or consequences arising from
the use of these notes. This includes, but is not limited to, poor academic performance, penalties, or any other negative
consequences resulting from the application or misuse of the information provided.
, For additional support +27 81 278 3372
QUESTION 1
Karoo Moose: Metatheatre and the Exposure of Gender-Based Violence
Lara Foot’s Karoo Moose is a powerful South African stage play that uses unusual
storytelling techniques to highlight the effects of gender-based violence (GBV).
Rather than relying on realistic sets and linear action, the play uses metatheatrical
devices to tell Thozama’s story. These devices include non-traditional narration, role-
switching by actors, symbolic props, and abrupt shifts in setting. This style is known
as metatheatre, and it encourages the audience to think about how stories are told,
instead of simply watching events unfold. In Karoo Moose, this approach helps
uncover the layers of violence, trauma, and silence surrounding GBV. The play
draws attention to how young girls like Thozama are abused and ignored in
communities marked by poverty, patriarchy, and shame. Metatheatre does not take
the audience away from reality, but rather challenges them to face it more directly.
This essay will show how metatheatrical devices influence the play’s portrayal of
GBV by drawing on the insights of Kruger (2022) and Mohoto (2015). Both critics
agree that Foot’s approach moves beyond naturalistic theatre to question power,
silence, and trauma. In this discussion, I will examine the structure of the play, the
role of the Moose, the shifting narrators and characters, and the use of songs and
symbols. These elements work together to create a bold statement about how GBV
is experienced, remembered, and retold in South Africa.
Breaking the Fourth Wall: Direct Narration and Audience Involvement
One of the clearest examples of metatheatre in Karoo Moose is the use of direct
narration. Instead of watching events unfold naturally, the audience is constantly
reminded that they are watching a performance. The narrators step out of character
to explain the setting, comment on characters, and even reflect on the story itself.
For example, the play begins with the actors entering a bare stage, each holding a
symbolic object. The Moose is introduced not with realism, but through dance,
rhythm, and sound. As the actors prepare the stage like a sacred space, the narrator
tells the audience that this is a story "sent by the gods" that can only be spoken by
the "curious and the brave".
