By Neo Kolane
Forty-nine-year old, Silas Taunyane Monyatsi who hails from Thaba Bosiu but grew up in Koalabata will be seen a couple of times in the Mzansi Magic’s drama series, Gomora.
Gomora is a South African television drama series produced by Seriti films. It is an M-Net original production commissioned for M-Net’s local interest channel Mzansi Magic.
Monyatsi who studied acting in 1996, did professional theatre stage and then went on to the screen where he did ‘Tholoana tsa Sethepu’.
He says he has a passion for his country and as such he moved back to Lesotho between 2002 and 2003 because he wanted to help build the arts in his country as it was never satisfactory, especially the performing arts.
Monyatsi also did Phela with Soul City which he produced and directed – the first drama to be played on Lesotho Television.
He is credited with discovering other local actors like Tseko Monaheng.
He also produced ‘Kau la poho’ with Global Fund and the Ministry of Health, as well as ‘Tshasa’; he describes the two projects as the biggest milestones of his film and television career.
The active member of Motion Pictures Association of Lesotho (MPALE) stated he has an agency in South Africa and when he told them he needed an audition, they suggested Gomora.
He said he did self-tape audition, where he auditioned from Lesotho and he sent the video clip and they liked him right way; two days later it was confirmed that he had got the part.
Monyatsi tells theReporter that acting in Gomora is a huge milestone, working alongside the likes of eminent South African actresses Connie Chiume and Katlego Dankie, who he describes as ‘welcoming’.
“The crew loved working with me. I was a bit rust, having been off acting for quite some time. I started out slowly but picked up with time. I was thrown in the deep end since I was working with people who have been in the industry for a long time, and there was no time to relax because everything is on schedule. I needed to dig deep and be spontaneous.
“It is a very challenging character. I play Bra Mike, I delivered the character and I hope people love it. Bra Mike is a genuine man of Jazz. It is important to note that I am not a permanent cast member,” he concluded.
