From the Mouths of Babes traces the roots of three striking Jewish women in South Africa through stories and song.

Malcolm Purkey directs three striking young Jewish women (Naami Gottlieb Lieberman, Sivan Raphaely and Sharon Spiegel-Wagner) who tell stories about their lives, the lives of their parents and grandparents, and how they arrived in South Africa. Their roots can be traced back to Russia, Eastern Europe, North Africa, America, Israel and the Arab Peninsula.

The migration of their ancestors has contributed to their South African experience and here they represent where they came from and who they are today. Purkey conceived the production with the cast, who also sing glorious songs, both traditional and original, in a cappella style.

Their stories reflect growing up in South Africa and are wildly funny and sharply poignant in turn. Intricate and majestic songs in three-part harmony fill the landscape of memory and dreams as they express their yearning for truth and identity. Tales of humour and vulnerability bring their history alive to honour, celebrate and explore their current existence.

Purkey is an award-winning theatre director and playwright and he is the Artistic Director of the Market Theatre. In recent years he has directed a new production of Sophiatown, The Island, Mike van Graan's Hostile Takeover, Ain't Misbehavin' and Craig Higginson's Little Foot, Dream of the Dog and The Girl in the Yellow Dress, for which he won a Fleur du Cap award for directing in 2011.

“The project appealed to me for a number of reasons,” explains Purkey. “It has been developed out of a series of workshops which took place throughout this year with the wonderful cast. It therefore connected me to my workshop days with Junction Avenue Theatre Company where Jewish identity played a very significant part in some of the works there - most notably in the play Sophiatown, where one of the characters, Ruth Golden, finds her way into the area. I was also drawn to this project because it deals, in a playful way, with the question of Jewishness in South Africa.”

The show is not recommended for children under 14 years, so parental guidance is advised.

From the Mouths of Babes comes to the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio over the festive season from 5 December to 5 January 2013 at 8.15pm nightly, with Saturday matinees at 2pm.

Ticket prices range from R110 to R150 and booking is through Computicket on 0861 915 8000

There is a special performance on 31 December at 10pm as part of the highly popular Baxter New Year’s Eve celebrations which include a spectacular balloon drop, a complimentary glass of bubbly or juice, a live band in the foyer and several other fun activities on the night. Join the cast in the foyer after the performance to count down 2012 and welcome 2013 with a bang.