Thank you to everyone who has signed so far.

This petition is not just about one director or one production. It's about who gets to tell our stories. It’s about equity, integrity, and the ongoing struggle to centre Black voices—especially in institutions that claim to represent our histories and communities.

Barbershop Chronicles is a celebration of Black identity, humour, and masculinity across the African diaspora. To appoint a white director to lead this work—when there are many talented and experienced Black directors in South Africa—is not only tone-deaf, it is a form of erasure.

We are asking the Market Theatre to reconsider its decision and commit to real, inclusive transformation in its hiring practices.

We need your help:

Please share the petition with friends, artists, cultural workers, and anyone who believes in the importance of representation and justice.

Tag the Market Theatre and ask them to respond. Visibility matters.

Leave a comment when you sign—your words carry weight.

Let’s grow this together. Every voice counts.