Category: Writers

A FABULOUS FEAST OF THEATRICAL GENIUS

~ debeernecessities

Review by DIANE DE BEER

CAKE STOPPER

ARTIST: Nataniël

BAND: Charl du Plessis (keyboards); Werner Spies (bass); Juan Oosthuizen (guitar); Peter Auret (drums)

VENUE: Atterbury Theatre with shows tonight at 7pm, tomorrow at 7pm, Saturday at 11am and 3 pm, and Sunday at 3pm; (13 to 16 February Roodepoort Teater; 5 and 6 March, Sand Theatre in Bloemfontein)

If you have followed an artist as closely as I have Nataniël, it’s not only the performance but also the progression that becomes part of the thrill of this spectacular talent.

Time and again, I have been curious at my astonishment at what I am experiencing during one of his shows, but I know it is the constant evolution of what he presents that keeps me enthralled.

He is one of the few who has managed to keep the element of surprise always present and he does this especially with his scripts. He has a mind that keeps on giving stories so fantastical and yet so based in reality that everyone can identify. But what elevates the presentation is his genius with words.

Bilingual and equally adept in English and Afrikaans, he has managed through the years to broaden his audience base in the way he has become comfortable in both. The stories immediately draw you in and the choice of language doesn’t play a part. It is the way his mind wanders, how he tells a story and the unique way he presents and arranges every single sentence.

Originality is one of those elements you either have or don’t. You cannot make it happen if it’s not there. And through the years, his has become stronger as his comfort levels have grown.

What you have now is a performer in total command of his art as he mesmerises his audience with his phenomenally unique storytelling. He is comfortable sharing the personal stories of his life and the way the world has always viewed and treated anyone who isn’t exactly moulded in the image of everyone else. He revels in the differences and through the years has become emboldened and embraces exactly the artist he is and wants to be. And we love him for that.

In everything he does, he always opts for the best and this is especially true of his band of class musicians. Headed by the masterful pianist Charl du Plessis, both Spies (bass) and Auret (drums) add to the individuality with their own musical flair. Add to that trio of perfection Juan Oosthuizen whose mastery with the guitar is legendary. Their performance is bliss.

It’s rare to have the accompaniment of such unusual talent, but Nataniël has always been secure in his own performance and knowledge that exquisite music enhances his singing, the real reason he loves performing.

The balance of stories and songs is important because the songs give you a reprieve from the density and sheer delight of the stories as well as a chance to breathe as you appreciate the excellence of what you are witnessing. And with time and maturity, Nataniël’s voice is richer, the music more nuanced and the singer has perfected his authentic sound.

I have always been captivated by what this artist brings to the stage because it is so unique, put together with boundless imagination and because of the inspired stories – a new play with every show he presents – each season is an explosion of the extraordinary. He has been a blessing to local audiences because of who he is and the riches he presents on stage.

The rarity of his creativity is a joy to behold. May he keep being the wonderfully colourful creation who once, twice, or if we’re lucky, three times a year holds us in the palm of his hand as he takes us wandering with wonderment into a world that is as charming as it is complicated.

Bookings: seatme.co.za

TROU- EN SPEELMAATS CINTAINE SCHUTTE EN CAREL NEL MAAK ‘n BEGIN BY DIE MARK TEATER

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KLEUR FOTOS: Gys Loubser

SWART EN WIT FOTOS: Stephanie Gericke

Cintaine Schutte en Carel Nel speel nie aldag op die verhoog saam nie, maar die tyd is reg. Die twee gesels met DIANE DE BEER oor hulle jongste stuk ‘n Begin, wat Donderdag 30 Januarie by die Mark Teater in Johannesburg begin, oor hulle prosesse:

Cintaine Schutte en Carel Nel in rehearsals (links) saam met Tinarie van Wyk Loots (regisseur) en verhoogbestuurder Lize-Marie Wait (regs)

HOEWEL hulle werkprosesse baie verskil, is daar darem baie voordele ook aan saamwerk.

“Hoe nader ons kom aan die speelvak by die Mark Teater (Johannesburg), is dit net ‘n luuksheid dat ek dadelik ‘n wordrun kan doen saam met Carel in die sitkamer of ons kan praat oor die karakters,” vertel Cintaine.

“Maar natuurlik is daar altyd tussen hom en my ‘n Cintaine en Carel. Daar’s ‘n tyd wanneer ons praat oor werk en daars ‘n tyd wanneer ons nie praat oor werk nie, want ons moet ook lewe tussenin, en ek moet dit ook respekteer.”

Sy is iemand wat te veel wil praat oor werk, en dikwels belaai met notaboekies en bladsye vol geskryf. “Dan sien ek vir Carel  op die bank lê en as ek vra ‘wat doen jy’, dan sê hy, hy dink aan die scenes en hoe dit uitspeel in sy kop.

 “Ek moet dit op die bladsy hê.  Ek dink ook dis belangrik om nie altyd uit te vra oor sy werkproses nie, want dan verras jy jouself op die vloer. As ek uit ‘n gemaklike plek uit speel, kan ek enige iets regkry. Vir my is voorbereiding baie groot.”

Carel besef dat almal anders  werk. “Ek het nog nooit met ‘n akteur gewerk wat presies dieselfde werksprosesse as ek het nie. Dis normaal, en jy moet dit maar net respekteer. Elke persoon werk anders. Solank die eindresultaat positief is, gee ek nie rerig om hoe die ander  se prosesse werk nie.”

Vir hom is die belangrikste om by die waarheid van die stuk uit te kom en die eerlikheid daarin vind. En egos moenie deel van die proses wees nie.

“Dis die eerste maal in ‘n lang tyd dat die twee van ons saamwerk maar as vervaardiger toe ek eers besluit het dat Tinarie van Wyk Loots (onder links) die regisseur is, het ek haar die keuse laat maak van wie my Daniel sou wees. Sy het nie eerse tweekeer gedink nie, en dadelik Carel voorgestel want sy het gesê dit kort ‘n akteur met gravitas en sy het al met Carel gewerk met Baby I Love You.”

Cintaine  was dadelik opgewonde oor die saamwerk. “Hy is natuurlik ‘n goeie akteur, en daar sou ‘n shorthand tussen ons wees maar ek was ook bietjie huiwerig dat man en vrou in regte lewe op die verhoog gaan staan. Maar dit is waar die verbeelding van teater inkom waar ons verdwyn in die karakters.

 “Ek het ook iemand gekies wie se spelleiding baie sterk moet wees en daarom het ek as vervaardiger vir Tinarie gekies.”

Sy weet sy sal die vertroue wat hulle in die regte lewe het verplaas na die  verhoog en nie te veel druk daarop plaas nie. En dan kyk waar die kreatiewe proses hulle neem. Maar sy wil ook seker maak dat hulle lekker  kan  speel  en  fun  kan hê met die stuk.

Hoewel  Carel vier of   vyf   jaar laas  op die verhoog was  gaan hy  die  stuk   benader soos enige ander stuk met enige ander akteur of aktrise. “Julle moet mekaar toelaat om julle eie prosesse te volg en dis wat ons doen.”

Cintaine vertel dat hulle aan die begin van verlede jaar iewers in Europa saam  op ‘n trein was toe iets  vir  haar  fluister  dat sy weer lus is om te vervaardig. Kies ‘n stuk wat jy sal wil doen, is verder gefluister.

“Toe dink sy aan ‘n two-hander want dit is miskien beter as ‘n groot rolverdeling. Mens  wil soms groot gaan maar dis moeilike tye.”

Met navorsing kom sy op David Eldridge se Beginning af, bestel die play, kry dit en begin lees. Dit het haar gevang. Dit is ‘n stuk wat haar geraak en gepraat het.

“Laura is 38 en Daniel is 42 en dit raak baie punte aan van gesprekke wat ek al met my vriende gehad het, die psige van mense ons ouderdom. Dis ‘n baie naturalistiese play in die sin dat dit speel in regte tyd oor 80 minute, daar’s geen truuks of twists of plot -turns nie. Dis net ‘n slice of life.

“Hierdie stuk praat met my en ek het gedink ek moet iemand on board kry wat vertaling goed ken en wat dit kan lokaliseer.  Ek besluit toe op Nico Scheepers juis omdat ek al met hom gewerk het met Tienduisend Ton en ‘n fliek wat hy ook vertaal het.

“Die speelbaarheid het ook baie te maak met die vertaling en ek dink Nico het baie goeie werk gedoen.”  Tog met die eerste week van repetisies het sy, Carel, Tinarie en hulle verhoogbestuurder Lize-Marie Wait ook gesit en  dit hulle eie gemaak. “Ons het gesny waar ons gedink het maar nie te ver van Nico se vertaling verwerk nie, maar ons eie stempel daarop  afgedruk.”

Nou kan hulle met repetisies dit eg Suid Afrikaans hou, en die twee mense wat in die Kaap woon met eerlikheid speel.

Cintaine vertel dat daar baie verskillende temas aangeraak word en dat die skrywer baie lekker stories vertel. Die stuk het al oor die hele wêreld gespeel en die skrywer en sy agent was baie opgewonde oor die Suid Afrikaanse speelvak.

Vir haar as vervaardiger is dit ook lekker om van die sukses te hoor. “The proof is in the pudding, en juis omdat dit in soveel lande gespeel het, beteken dat dit praat met mense.”

Vir Carel is die temas wat uitstaan,  eensaamheid in die moderne wêreld. Dit handel oor mense van hulle ouderdom, laat 30s en vroeë 40s, hoe om iemand te vind in liefde en in vriendskap in die moderne wêreld van Tinder, Facebook en Instagram.

 “Hoe navigate jy om iemand te ontmoet. Dit klink dalk of dit makliker is  maar dit kompliseer eintlik dinge,”  sê Carel. “Dit maak dit anders,  en op daai ouderdom is mense getroud of geskei, hulle kom met baie baggage, so dis ook wat elke persoon saamdra. Wanneer jy iemand nuuts ontmoet is daar allerhande goeters wat jy uitvind.

“Die skryfwerk is baie naturalisties, dis twee mense wat mekaar ontmoet aan die einde van ‘n aand na ‘n partytjie, en ek dink Nico het ‘n baie goeie vertaling gedoen soos altyd. Dis net ‘n blik op die lewe, dis 90 minute waarin twee mense mekaar ontmoet vir die eerste keer, maar albei het ‘n verlede.”

Cintaine se karakter is Laura, 38 jarige vrou, en ‘n besturende direkteur by haar maatskappy. Sy is baie suksesvol, het sopas ‘n woonstel in Sandton gekoop en dit was haar housewarming  

“Sy is ‘n interessante kat en dit is so lekker om met Tinarie te werk want sy gee my so baie insig, verskillende perspektiewe om hierdie karakters in fully-fleshed mense te verander.”

Hulle hoop gehore sal hulleself of ander in die karakters herken.

“Laura is baie ver verwyderd van my af, en nou dat ek ‘n breuk gehad het na verlede jaar se Woordfees, is dit lekker dat ek weer bietjie kan deepdive in haar psige. Sy het ‘n baie goeie selfbeeld, lyk na ‘n baie sterk vrou, en sy sê haar vriende is jaloers op haar, die aande uit, die sukses. Sy is so in beheer van haar eie lewe.”

Dis hoe dit voorkom sê Cintaine, maar onder draai die duiwels rond. “Diep, diep binne is sy baie alleen en eensaam. Sy wil ook die wit trourok he, die kinders, ‘n familie. Sy wil ook iemand na haar huis toe kan nooi om te kuier. Dis maar die primere behoeftes van menswees en sy het dit nie in haar lewe nie.”

As dit by Cintaine kom wat haarself beskryf as  “‘n groot empath”, sy het empatie met Laura, maar sy  sal moet diep gaan delf om daai eerlikheid te kan speel wanneer sy uitkom by hierdie vreemdeling.

“Want ek dink nie sy deel verskriklik baie nie, sy bou mure op waar ek self so min mure het dat ek te baie deel. Maar as sy met Daniel begin deel, dan sien ons wat gebeur as daardie mure afgebreek word, en hoe die eerlikheid uitkom.”

“Daniel is ook baie anders as ek, dra baie bagasie saam met hom rond,en het baie verkeerde besluite geneem in sy lewe,” vertel Carel. “Hy is alleen en op soek na iets. Ek dink hy soek na human connection as gevolg van omstandighede en waar hy is in sy lewe hy is.

“Hy is baie anders as ek maar tot ‘n mate tog die selle. Elke mens soek maar connection, dis alles goeters wat jy verstaan. Hy’s net gewone man wat soek na die dinge wat ons almal wil he.

“Ek hoop mense geniet dit obviously, ek hoop hulle lag want ek vind van dit nogal komies en snaaks en ek hoop mense hou van die karakters want hulle is gewone mense met goeie harte wat eintlik net hulle pad deur hierdie wêreld probeer vind en ek hoop tot ‘n mate dat die gehoorlede sal voel asof hulle voyeuristies (nie op weird manier nie),  kyk hoe mense mekaar ontmoet, die op en af van nuwe verhoudings, dis wat ek hoop wat mense sal ervaar.”

Vir Cintaine as vervaardiger is dit ‘n groot eer om in een van ons land se beste teaters te kan speel en die stuk na Gautengse gehore te kan bring. Butterflies is daar, sê  sy maar daar is niks lekkerder as om op ‘n verhoog te staan met ‘n gehoor nie. “Hulle voel amper vir my soos deel van die stuk, nog ‘n karakter. Die energie is so tasbaar in daai 90 minute, mens moet maar duimvas hou dat dit werk.”

Maar die ergste lekker lê vir haar by die optel repetisies wanneer jy kan werk aan die stuk en so gemaklik as moontlik kan wees voor jy op die verhoog klim.

Vir Carel is dit sy eerste liefde. Dis wat hy geswot het, intussen paar liefdes bygekry, “Cintaine is een van hulle maar ook televisie en film en baie lekker om terug te wees … op die verhoog.”

Vir“hom is die lekkerte altyd die repetisie periode want “as jy begin en jy  kry die ritmes, is dit amper soos jou eie klein geheimpie en ek hou nogal daarvan om dit vir myself te hou. Dan kom die anxieties van nou moet ons dit deel met ander mense. Gaan jy gejudge word, is jy goed genoeg. maar jy kom oor dit alles en beweeg terug na die eerlikheid van die storie wat jy met mense wil deel. Jy leer om met die anxieties saam te leef.”

“As die stuk lekker speel, is dit ‘n wen situasie, en as mens by ‘n teater kan speel en ons sal graag na verskillede feeste wil reis,” sê Cintaine oor die verloop van die stuk.

Sy speel ook bietjie met die idee omdat sy die laaste paar jaar huiskonserte gedoen het dat mens  die stuk in iemand se sitkamer kan doen. Maar sy besef ook sy  moet  haar mede akteur respekteer en dit sal afhang of hy dit sal wil doen, getroud of nie.

Dit is ‘n baie anderste energie en tipe intimiteit wat jy jouself voor oopmaak, vertel sy, maar miskien is dit tog iets wat die stuk voor vra. “Die tyd sal leer,” sê sy.

Vir Carel sal dit  afhang van sy beskikbaarheid,  sê hy tong-stewig-in-kies. “Maar sy sal maar my beskikbaarheid moet check, want ek is soms nogal besig.”

En ons wat teater kyk, hou duimvas dat dit goed gaan met die twee – deesdae gesoute -akteurs, en dat hule die land deur speel met ‘n Begin.

*Die twee toegewyde akteurs het vrae beantwoord terwyl hulle luilekker in Griekeland getoer het verlede jaar voor die Woordfees speelvak. Die het intussen suksesvol plaasgevind met baie goeie terugvoer. Dit open 30 Januarie by Johannesburg se ikoniese Mark Teater en die speelvak is tot 16 Februarie.

Om te bespreek:

https://www.webticket.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1558065074

WORDS OF WONDERMENT FOR THE QUEEN OF PANTO

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BY DIANE DE BEER

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

DIRECTOR/SCRIPTWRITER: Janice Honeyman

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Timothy le Roux

SOUND DESIGNER: Akhona Bozo

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Sandy Dyer

LIGHTING DESIGNER: Johan Ferreira

COSTUME DESIGNER: Mariska Meyer

CHOREOGRAPHER: Khaya Ndlovu

PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Andrew Timm

SET DESIGNER AND BUILDER: Enos Ramoroko

MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Dale Ray

THE CAST AND THE BAND: Too many to list

VENUE: Joburg Theatre

DATES: Until December 22

Dear Janice,

Driving back from this year’s pantomime (the children of the kids who first used to accompany me are now my annual companions) I thought it was time that I should write a more personal letter of thanks and admiration rather than the usual review.

Not being at a newspaper any longer and posting on my personal blog, I have the right, I think. Also, between the two of us, you have probably/arguably written and  produced more pantomimes than anyone else, definitely in this country and probably out there in the big world too; and I have probably watched and reviewed more than many can claim.

The genre as such isn’t my favourite and you have many other theatrical accomplishments in case anyone should think this is the only thing you do. But because of you, I make a distinction between a panto and a Janice panto, and as I mentioned in the review of Aspoestertjie (currently running in Pretoria), you have raised the bar for anyone who wants to participate in this field.

There isn’t any chance that I would have managed year by year if not for your genius and innovation. Being who you are, I know you would have been bored to death as anyone would have been, if you didn’t set a particular challenge for yourself. And perhaps that was what saved us both.

I was sitting in a packed Joburg Theatre on a Sunday with a show starting at noon and the aircon struggling with the current heat. Watching the audience, there were many kids but many couples or friends without youngsters too. It’s an institution and one you established and nurtured and grew to what it is. Small wonder they don’t want to let you go!

The text, which is always current and probably the thing most cherished by the adults, is as always on the mark with bullies a strong theme. That’s no surprise, but I love the way you wangle to be political without offending anyone.

You always have your finger on the  pulse and have managed to work your way with casts which now fully represent the country without too much fanfare, you just did it. And this mirror of our society at a season that has such mass appeal is probably one of your strongest achievements. Few would have managed in such an easy fashion while showing the best of the country without bashing anyone on the head.

I know this is unfair, but allow me the indulgence. Cast and musicians were fantastic, but there were five that deserve special mention: Bongi Archi (aboveas the Good Fairy (Mama’ama’bali); Virtuous Kandemiri as Beauty-Belle; Judy Ditchfield having an absolute ball as Hectate-Hex, the wicked witch; and Lesedi Rich as Doodlesakkie The Donkey; and lest we forget, Chrissie-Anna Mampoer as the guest newsreader.

Through the decades you have been gifted technological advances, but the wonderment of that is to see how you have applied that in such a wonderful way. This time it’s the way you blend the players from their digital images to the live performers.

Also the sets, the in jokes which some might miss but it doesn’t matter. It keeps viewers on their toes. The six-year-old was curious about some of the adult laughter and that’s also a good thing. There’s a lesson there every once in a while.

I truly loved your Hitchcock moment this time. You managed to display almost all your different skills as well as showing that you’ve still got it – and will always keep forging ahead.

You are an example of a true artist. Someone who could probably have stopped through the years, but you simply cannot resist. For that I’m grateful. Your casting of the young and the old, the experienced and the newbies, each one of them bringing something unique to the stage and the story, also contributes to the success.

Even your choice of Timothy le Roux as assistant director and company manager looks ahead, as you made sure you don’t go without leaving some institutional memory and knowledge behind. If anyone was there to watch and learn it was this artist who started in the arts as a ballet dancer and followed that by crafting and creating his own way on the production side in this very tough profession.

To everyone’s delight, it’s the usual spectacular pantomime, but the reason we could say that time and again from one decade to the next, is you, Janice Honeyman.

And for me to say this about pantomime is all your doing.

Thanks for the magic and the memories!

I don’t have to preach to the converted and for those of you who need to introduce youngsters to the enchantment of live theatre, this is it.

FROM A FAN

KKNK’S BI-ANNUAL TEXT MARKET A THEATRE EXPERIENCE THAT SPARKLES WITH INNOVATION

~ debeernecessities

DIANE DE BEER

Tinarie van Wyk Loots talking about her script Hamlet/Speenvark.
Picture: Nardus Engelbrecht

DIANE DE BEER

This is the 9th time I’ve written about the Klein Karoo Kunstefees/NATi/Baxter Teksmark (text market), the reason being it is such a smart creative endeavour.The brainchild of Hugo Theart, the CEO and artistic director, Hugo Theart of the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK), it is one of my favourite events of the year It’s existence was born out of need because original local scripts had become a problem. What they were hoping to do was to create new theatre texts which would provide local content for the festivals as well as encouragement for both budding and seasoned writers. And that is exactly what happened.

This past festival was the 9th, 156 text ideas in many of our official languages have been presented and in total, 43 of these texts have been developed into full scale productions, some of which can also boast well-deserved prizes.

What I find so intriguing is the zeitgeist that shifts year by year. Very specific strong themes usually emerge and it is fascinating to observe the topics tackled and which struggles or celebrations the creatives have focused on in a particular year.

One of the extraordinary gifts that this particular platform supplies is the chance for artists to experiment, to test ideas, to play and simply to reach for the stars which is something that quite a few playwrights attempted with brilliant results.

Acknowledged as one of our best actors, Tinarie van Wyk Loots presented a play titled Hamlet/Speenvark. Even the title suggests that this is going to be something unusual. Blessed with her acting skills, she could present her own play/monologue, which I found challenging yet immensely exciting.

She describes it as an attempt at a solo production, or struggling poem, modelled on, and with apology to Shakespeare’s Hamlet (and she cites Jonker, De Villiers, Malherbe, Totius, Opperman and Yeats). That’s quite a list.

She writes that it is “a tentative but violent investigation into the emotional landscape of being South African – the search for identity and a relationship with guilt and victim mentality.”

She further explains that her choice was driven by her “ancestors rooted in Africa and Europe, the disillusion of humanity, and emotional suicide depicted through the extrapolation of various characters in the original script, who all speak from the same mouth.”

The reading was magnificent and I could feel that this was going to develop into something quite extraordinary. Van Wyk Loots is someone who has given her heart and soul to the stage. Few actors can still afford to do that. But she has the skill and talent to keep adding to her repertoire and her engagement with theatre.

Not only can she write, she can then take the text, already her own, and do with it whatever she wishes. Personally I can’t wait. This is the kind of production that keeps theatre alive.

Dianne du Toit Albertze in conversation about Meire en Pinkie.
Picture: Nardus Engelbrecht

Never one to shy away from tackling holy cows, Dianne du Toit Albertze’s writing grabs you by the throat. On first reading of the text, I needed to know who had written with such abandon and such a brave heart. When I discovered who it was, I knew it couldn’t be anyone else and I was surprised I didn’t pick up the harsh yet haunting style of this writer.

Meire en Pinkie depict orphanage runaways and ladies of the night and day. Okiep jintoes with nagging drug addictions who scramble for survival daily, searching for a cure, writes Du Toit Albertze, but fail to know how to get it. But they continue running towards ways to escape the vicious cycle of poverty and abuse.

But she points out, life has a way of outsmarting you. The sins of their mothers catch up with them when they are accused of selling the means to vicious addiction, Meire’s child. It’s something they endured themselves as children. And now they feel abandoned

Picture: Nardus Engelbrecht
A scene from Meire en Pinkie.

It’s gritty, hard-hitting and without compromise. Some would argue for something with less hard edges but this is exactly what theatre can achieve: to tell real-life stories in a language that becomes a character, confronts you and makes you listen without turning away. This is when theatre becomes therapy for those writing and performing as well as those watching.

These are just two of the standout texts, part of this year’s text market at the Baxter but there were many more that had potential for further development and some already  stage-ready.

Playwright Gavin Werner (Meeting Murphy, centre) with two actors playing the parts on either side.
Foto: Nardus Engelbrecht

The theme of bullying captured by Gavin Werner in Meeting Murphy will touch everyone who would have experienced it in some form. Another one that popped up in quite a few texts was memory and the way individuals remember the same event in different ways. How we view the world is often coloured by past experiences and this can lead to discomfort in some instances.

The Salt Lesson by the insightful Sibuyiselo Dywill also tackles memory but here it has to do with different generations, cultures and languages and most importantly for the playwright, from the same bloodline. In any context this is a huge ask but with the South African apartheid past, when the elderly family member (white) suffers from dementia and regards the youngster (black) as an intruder rather than a son, things can get really messy.

Playwright Sibuyiselo (with the mic) surrounded by the three actors in his play The Salt Lesson.
Picture: Nardus Engelbrecht

It’s such a clever idea which explores different issues in genius and thoughtful fashion forcing audiences to look at their own world views from a different vantage point.

Scenes from The Salt Lesson. Pictures: Nardus Engelbrecht

With plays written in home languages including Afrikaans, English and Xhosa, the premise is embracing and expansive with the graft expanding year by year. Once we can figure out how to present theatre in different languages so that everyone can understand – easily – Teksmark will truly break down barriers and shift theatre in this country into a unique stratosphere.

And if you want to check out what is happening at the second Gauteng Teksmark to be held at UJ, where different playwrights and others involved in the theatre industry discuss their ideas as play readings, enquire with J.C. Aucamp at 0763335945 or jc@kunste.org.za.

The KKNK 2024 Gauteng Teksmark will be held on 24 and 25 October at Keorapetse William Kgositsile Theatre, Kingsway Campus, University of Johannesburg.

MAKE SURE YOU CAN FEND FOR YOURSELF IN THE KITCHEN IS INA PAARMAN’S MAGICAL MANTRA

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Ina Paarman has been in the business for half a century and has been a competitive author in a genre that offers in abundance so you need to stand out and find your niche. She did all that and with her latest cookbook brings it all together. She shares some of the secrets of her success with DIANE DE BEER:

Success comes with consistency, says Ina Paarman who has established her reputation with just that. “You have to send out the same message all the time,” she says. Together with that you have to give practical culinary information and recipes backed by good, top quality, products.

Her food philosophy which probably grew through the years was that you have to be able to fend for yourself in the kitchen. “It is an essential life skill and the best way to stay healthy,” she advises.

And with a fast ageing population, this is her mantra, one that has never changed through the years. Instead it has grown stronger.

For those who have watched and heard stories through the years, teaching is her calling. “I love sharing knowledge. Information about skills and technique for example. I believe in removing the fear of food and at the same time the importance of understanding the essence of good nutrition.”

Fresh Pea Soup with Spinach Fish Cakes with Tartar Sauce

In the beginning and in her younger days, she was scared of famous dishes.; “I felt intimidated,” she confesses. But with some experience she learnt that it is best to be your own trendsetter and at the same time to pay attention to your customers. You have to understand and get to know their needs.

In her line of work, she was dealing with real people with families and friends to feed who love good food, food that men and children will enjoy. That’s quite a big ask, but because she was one of these women herself, she knew how to make it work.

In today’s world, less meat is the way to go if you take international trends into account and then you have to understand that everyone is battling with time. When it comes to preparing meals for a family, you are often dealing with people who have many different priorities and time is of the essence.

Branding in today’s world is huge and this is what Paarman understood from the earliest days. “The brand is part of who we are and what we as a family have always been intimately involved with.”

Venison Pie with Phyllo Roses

“Our lives are what we do every day. We do not have a heavy social life, and if we travel it always involves gathering ideas and knowledge. A good business is an extremely demanding taskmaster. But I won’t have it any other way.”

And it shows. Ina Paarman’s name has always been synonymous with quality and in the over-supplied world of cookbooks, you can’t afford not to get it right. There are just too many options and worldwide it has become BIG BUSINESS. Just watch the latest season of Masterchef and see what is happening in the food world. The quality of those young chefs is astounding.

Everyone who manages in a kitchen at some stage might think they have the knowledge for their own cookbook journey. Think carefully, as the specialist explains. “They must realise that success takes time and dedication. Just as you would give total dedication to raising a child, a business, to grow, demands time, attention and continuous re-investment of money.”

We should all know that nothing comes easily. Success has always meant hard work together with the luxury of talent which has been honed.

Talking to her about social media, she is still dubious about the benefits at all times. And that is probably most people’s feeling about this area of our lives which in many cases has become quite monstrous.

Even when we do understand how it has given many of us the ability to do what we do. “Social media is a great way to communicate directly with your customers,” she explains. “But you have to do it in an honest and credible way.” Again that sounds like experience talking. Everyone has had to find their own way.

Through the many decades, staying relevant has probably been her best tool. “Listening, listening and listening and then acting on what you observe,” is her solution.

In conclusion she celebrates the latest cookbook. “It has given us all a lot of pleasure she says. I worked with a talented team and photographer Nicky Hoyle. We took time doing the book (over a year) and worked with the seasons. Our garden was great inspiration and the team are the best in town!

“Beside we enjoyed some delicious meals and had exciting moments of creative stimulation and sharing ideas.”

She recommends the book as all the recipes are thorougly tested and will always work. How can that not work for those of us in our own kitchens? It’s exactly what you want.

She also includes that all the recipes are based on our South African culture with the availaibility of products extremely important. That and our style of eating.Homecooks will feel comfortable with the recipes, she adds. The print is large enough, the ingredients familiar and as a bonus, beautiful photographs. Finally, she says, “I felt the need to share a bit about my background to ‘set the scene’ for each chapter.”

Chicken and Olive Bake with Pitted Dates.

And if you need more encouragement.:

The book’s title, INA PAARMAN: MY FAVOURITE RECIPES, should seal the deal.

Their online shop has closed but the book is available from their factory shop in Diep Rivier, Cape Town or at certain Checkers and Exclusive Books brances.

Here is her favourite recipe in the book:

Ouma’s Karoo Lamb Pie:

This traditional recipe from my mother Nellie Jooste should be preserved for future generations. The aromatic pie always looks impressive and tastes and smells delicious. It can be prepared in advance and frozen with the uncooked pastry cover.

Main Dish:                                                                                 Sauce Condiments:

2 kg lamb on the bone (shoulder or knuckles)        1 t (5ml) ground coriander

Or a mixture of the two cut into 4cm pieces            2 cloves garlic, crushed

Ina Paarman’s Meat Spice                                                2,5ml  Ina Paarman Chilli and Garlic

2 cups (500ml) water                                                           seasoning

2 times 25g Ina Paarman Liquid Beef Stock                 2 t(10 ml) mustard powder

1 onion, chopped                                                                    2 t (10 ml) sugar

2 bay leaves and 5 cloves                                                     4 T (60 ml balsamic vinegar

Sour cream pastry if you have the book, or                    2 T (30ml) cornflour or potato flour

Bought all-butter puff pastry                                               mixed with a little cold water

Egg Wash:                                                                                Half an onion studded with 7 cloves

1 egg, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt

                                                                            Makes 1 to 2 pies.

METHOD

Adjust the oven rack to one slot below the middle position and preheat the oven to 160 degrees C

Season the lamb with Meat Spice. Place the water, the beef stock, onion, bay leaves and cloves into a large heavy-based cast iron pot with a lid. Add the seasoned lamb and cook the meat in the oven until  completely tender and starting to fall off the bone (approx. 2 and a half hours).

Spoon the meat out with a slotted spoon and let it cool a little. Remove the bones, excess fat, gristle and bay leaves, then flake the meat.

Fill up the stock remaining in the saucepan with water – you should have approx. one and a half cups. To that, add all the sauce condiment ingredients. Thicken it with cornflour or potato flour blended into a little water. Add the flaked meat and taste for seasoning.

Dish the meat mixture into a heat-resistant  pie dish of approx. 25 cm. Position the spiked onion half in the centre to prevent the pastry from sagging. Leave to cool down. Ideal to refrigerate overnight.

Cover the pie with pastry. Put an extra pastry strip on the rim of the pie dish, then cover the pie with pastry. Scallop  the edges. Glaze with egg wash ingredients beaten together. Turn the temperature up to 190 deg C. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. Cover with foil, shiny side up, for the final 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning of the pastry.WINE CHOICES: A wooded Chardonnay or Shiraz will complement the butteriness of the pastry.                

THE WAY A CHILD’S HEART FINDS HAPPINESS

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REVIEW BY DIANE DE BEER

THE KING OF BROKEN THINGS

DIRECTOR AND WRITER: Michael Taylor-Broderick

ACTOR: Cara Roberts

VENUE: Mannie Manim Theatre at the Market Theatre

DATES: Until Sunday

AGE: From 10 years old

DURATION: Approximately an hour

This is the final call for this delightful play which has been doing the rounds for some time but, is as far as I know, this is its first visit to Gauteng.

Solo plays are festival standards and a wonderful way to discover new directors and actors. In this instance, Roberts, who according to the internet, is based in Durban, has been seen on local stages but also has a number of solo productions as part m of her repertoire.

That tells you about a performer who knows how to generate her own work, something they need when trying to survive in an industry hard hit in any troubled times. Survival is part of their normal game.

And for the character Roberts is portraying in this particular venture, a 10-year old boy, it is all about survival.

We don’t know too much about him except that he is living in a world of “broken things”, which dominate his life and the space in which we find him. If the world he was given is too difficult to navigate, it seems, his remarkably skilled solution is to create a space that can accommodate his wounded soul.

But that is how many young children react to a tough situation which they might not understand and in which the adults in their lives are sometimes the culprits who have created what seems to be a dark space.

And we all know that while communication is the best way to keep anyone’s world on track, it’s something that everyone seems to have a problem understanding. Just check around you and the problems you bump into – communication is such a handy tool if we would just go there.

Yet when your life seems to be dominated by pain, losing people you love and trying to find the reason for these tough times, you will find a way. You might not understand what is happening, but in this instance, the young child talks and creates his way to a better place.

It’s one of those plays that presents you with a moment in time, one that most of us encounter in some way, but he has found a way. If others can’t fix you, there are ways to make your dreams come true.

Roberts is an astonishing actor. Playing someone much younger is a tough ask, but with a smart script and a performer that throws herself at the role with just the right balance, it works.

It’s a charming hour and a play which I think especially teenagers should see. They would pick up a few life lessons and discover the way theatre can generate both wisdom and wit as The King of Broken Things leads them into a world of wonder where imagination is the ingredient that really matters. Shows tonight (7pm), tomorrow (3 and &pm) and Sunday (3pm). Bookings at https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/Event.aspx?itemid=1537172754

NATANIЁL IS A WIZARD WHEN WORKING WITH WORDS

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I never gave much thought to Nataniël’s live talk shows but, because they had become so popular, it was time to investigate. DIANE DE BEER gives her feedback:

So I went to last year’s Fairtree Atterbury Theatre show in Pretoria, and was so impressed that I forgot to take notes. There was little chance of reporting or writing without having  a single note and when he announced the 2024 (he changes topic every year) I was ready to go – which happened a few weeks ago.

It’s always packed, no room for a single late-comer, and while last year’s topic was Pain, this year he focused on our chaotic world and the urge to achieve excellence. “What are we busy doing?” he asked. “What is going on?”

All of this chatter happens at breakneck speed and what I had forgotten was that the auditorium is pitch dark, like in a theatre show. Taking notes would be quite a challenge, but I was determined.

What I hoped to capture would perhaps not be the most accurate version of his magical monologue, but I was hopeful that I would capture the essence and encourage fans to attend future talks.

First off, it’s all in Afrikaans. But that’s always part of his charm. He often complains about a show or a talk which is too serious and not really funny. What escapes him is the way he speaks, his vocabulary and the way he constructs a sentence are unusual and often hysterically funny.

With the focus on the times we live in, he began his talk with one of his irresistible stories which set the tone for the rest of his talk. He can’t but be funny even when he is having a serious conversation. It’s his special formula and what makes you listen while forgetting that you’re actually part of a masterful sermon.

He has always had the gift of the gab. That’s how he makes a living. People hang on  his every word. Why not impart some wisdom while making them laugh? And that’s exactly what he does. Not many can make you smile while telling you how to behave. But he does, and gets paid to do exactly that.

And again, it’s because he knows how to tell a story: whether these are true or fabricated, the life lessons come from the heart – and experience. Being Nataniël, he has an unusual life and people share their secrets. He will juggle and jiggle them around so that even those involved will probably not recognise themselves, and then he will douse it with wit as well as wisdom – and the audience will lap it up.

In the current talk he investigates the need to succeed and sparkle (“prestasie” in Afrikaans, but he was unsure of the English translation as achievement doesn’t quite hit the mark!)

And while fame and celebrity seem to be the hallmark of success in today’s world, he believes there’s more to it than that. Legacy is something that is often talked about yet the individual in question doesn’t experience that, it only comes once they’re dead. “A career is also an achievement,” he suggests.  And at least then, you can share in the satisfaction of having achieved something.

While at school –  something he hated with his whole being – he was often charged by a teacher or someone in authority to participate in a competition of some kind. His response was always, but why? To what end? Who benefits? And what does any of this achieve?

Others again will equate success with money, but having raced through a spectacular career himself, he has had the chance to reflect. For him it has always been the process of getting from beginning to end – whatever the journey might entail. Once you have travelled from one point to another, you can look back, and perhaps make sense of it.

“Success changes your perspective,” he reasons. And for him, 114 productions on (all self-written, music composed, directed and performed), the pain and anxiety have remained. It has never been easy and he still questions the damage accumulated through the years. “It has to impact my health, surely,” he says. “I seem to be in constant pain.”

In his world, he only recognises five iconic individuals: Van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci, neither of whom lived fabulous lives; Shakespeare, who had to act in his own plays to make a living; Einstein whose famous equation explains the energy released in an atomic bomb; and his grandmother who is the individual most often featured in his stories and the one he credits with influencing his life the most.

“I have tried everything but could never recreate the magic she created in her home and on others.”  That’s what he refers to as a natural achievement – not something one tries to do, it simply happens.

Go and listen when you can. Nataniël is one of those people who lives an interesting life because of who he is. It’s not so much the celebrity status, rather the way he views the world that comes through in his talks.

He is naturally wise, more witty than anyone I know or have encountered, and he knows how to tell stories. More than anything, that has probably most endeared him to audiences.

His spectacular shows are something to witness and experience, I never miss those. These latest talk sessions are something completely different yet no less entertaining. As with his shows, you leave the theatre feeling you have gained something – and for everyone it will be different.

And you will die laughing…

He can’t help himself. Even when serious, his inner clown escapes.

29 June 2024

GESELS 2024

11am + 3pm

Fairtree Atterbury Theatre, Pretoria
No children under 15
Book at: seatme.co.za

AUTHOR ONKE MAZIBUKO, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

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The second verse of any song has to be more killer than the first. Always. The rhythm has to slap. The lyrics must be on point. The feeling intense. And the impact mad-definitive. It’s just the way it is. In the same way, if you do well in life once in a life, then you always have to be better from that point onwards. No doubt.

Author Onke Mazibuko is the director of transformation, diversity and inclusion at Johannesburg’s Kingsmead College, he has two master degrees, one in psychology, the other in public health and is busy with a PhD in creative writing. As if all that isn’t daunting enough, he tells DIANE DE BEER about The Second Verse, (Penguin Random) as well as two more books on the horizon – as well as a few other passions in his life:

“Whenever people ask me what I do for a living or who am I, I always feel I’m going to shortchange myself because there’s no one box or title or definition that would do it all justice.

“For example, if I say to people I work in a school as a director of transformation diversity and inclusion, that doesn’t explain that I’m also a writer. And when I say that also, it doesn’t do justice to the fact that I’m also a psychologist, and when I do that, it doesn’t do justice to the fact that I’m also a cyclist.

“I also love cycling, and when I say that, it doesn’t do justice to the fact that I love hiking. And when I do that, it doesn’t do justice to the fact that I’m curious about Buddhism. I’m practising meditation, but I’m not necessarily a Buddhist.

“And then there’s the rapping, the music aspect of it.”

And then he concludes that it’s easiest to say: “I’m a person, I’m a spirit, I am someone who is highly creative and I love learning. There’s nothing I love more than self-expression and learning.”

Speaking is the delightful Onke Mazibuko, whom I was privileged to interview in front of a live audience at the recent Vrye Weekblad Book Festival at Cullinan. We hadn’t met before the event apart from a short introductory phone call, but his heartfelt coming-of-age, first novel, The Second Verse (Penguin Random House), told me something about Onke’s youth.

I felt quite strongly that he had experienced the same emotions as his main character Bokang at some stage and that he was a writer I would love to read more of in the future. When asked questions about himself, he easily pours his heart out and shows who he is – as much as is comfortable – but with great sincerity.

“ I also sometimes wonder how I got to where I am because I feel there are things that happened in my life that have taken me off the path. But when I look back, I realise, I’ve never really been off the path as such,” he explains. With so many accomplishments to his name, one wonders what drives him.

“Going back to when I was six years old, all I wanted to be was a cartoonist. I used to enjoy drawing and painting and I remember my parents used to laugh at me (my father was a doctor and my mother was a nurse), thinking that this was cute maybe, and as I got older, I wanted to be a doctor like my father, but when my parents separated when I was 12, I let go of that idea. When I entered high school, it was a difficult time because our financial circumstances had changed because of the separation.

“I went from private schools to government schools and even though there are very good government schools, it was a very big change in my life. We moved from KwaZulu-Natal where I had been in boarding school for eight years and suddenly we were in East London in the Eastern Cape and I was a day scholar.”

That is where the writing started – an emotional response, perhaps a coping mechanism in a life that might have felt as though it was disintegrating.

“I started writing a lot of poetry. Now years later, I’ve become aware that whenever I go through emotionally difficult times, I tend to turn to writing.”

This developed into an interest in learning to rap and taking part in hip-hop events when he attended the University of Cape Town. For the first time he saw his peers getting on stage and doing poetry and he challenged himself to learn to rap and get over his fear of talking in front of people. “I was very shy,” he explains. Getting on stage, enjoying the hip-hop scene, that’s where he forged an identity for himself.

He eventually dropped out of university because he had chosen a specific field for the wrong reasons. And while the hip-hop was going well, at the time, it wasn’t yet commercially viable. “I was not compromising and I felt that I wasn’t going to change my music just to fit into the industry standards.”

And he still takes that stance when making decisions. Something he questions in his writing is when others try to define him. The Second Verse has been branded as young adult, while he feels that, if he had anybody in mind, it was an older reader. “I wanted readers to reflect on their past, look back,” he says.

Leaving university, his life took what some might think of as a sharp left. He went to work for a bank. But this also allowed him to explore his creative side in many ways. He decided to return to his university studies but also kept up the writing. His office and the university were in close proximity and graffiti became another pastime to indulge his creative dreams.

“I would leave home at 7am in the morning dressed in working gear, walk 25 minutes to work. Opening accounts for people, talking to them about  home loans etc, doing all these professional things, and at approximately 4pm, would walk about 5 minutes and get to school and attend lectures until about 8 at night.”

Then he would walk home at nighttime, and his creativity would emerge again. He would have his spray cans handy and start tagging and doing throw-ups. Then to bed at about 10 so that he could wake up at 2 in the morning, go and graffiti train carriages and return home to get ready for work, where he would show up with fingers covered in paint.

People didn’t know what he was doing, but he was at work on time. In-between clients, when he got bored, he would write poetry and rap, which passed the time.

He always read a lot, and he remembers reading somewhere that if you are a reader, you are a writer under cover. “If I had to find an origin of when I started writing, I would take it as far back as when I started reading.” When he was at boarding school at the age of 5, “they would read us bedtime stories, and by the time I was in std 1, you had to have your own book.”

Books were always a part of his life. His father’s books were all around the house, in fact, he and his brother’s room was pretty much his father’s library. “We felt we were sleeping in his library rather than that his books were in our room.”

He didn’t do particularly well in writing at high school and this was him trying, so he left school thinking that he couldn’t write, didn’t think it was something special. His sister (who sadly died a few years ago) always played a special mentoring role. She was a lecturer where he was studying and would give him feedback about what his lecturers were saying.

He was in the psychology department and she was in the sociology department, and she would tell him how proud she was of him because the lecturers were always saying how well he wrote.

But it wasn’t until he got to his honours degrees, when they started telling him he could write well. During his psychology studies, he was having emotional struggles and had read that journalling could help him. He has  been doing that since 2008 and hardly ever skips his daily journalling. For him it is not about the content but about the practice of making time to be with himself.

The first time he really attempted to write a story, he was 35 years old and was doing a PhD in psychology. He was having problems and again writing became his safe place. In the process, he realised how much he was enjoying the writing.

He also started volunteering at youth-centred NGO’s, while writing another novel which deals with young people. He’s continued seeing clients, not a lot, but he loves the therapy. He also does palm reading, astrology and tarot. When spending time in libraries at 19 after dropping out, he discovered books on astrology, and just read and read.

This side of his career developed organically and he knows now that when he felt his life was falling apart, he was actually gathering knowledge and strength for the future. “Things come around; what I learnt to do at a young age has become part of my life.”

When he isn’t writing, he falls apart. He does a lot of writing exercises, which keeps him healthy and focussed on a routine. Research methods, life experience, everything comes into play.

Mentoring plays a large role in his life. Once he starts talking about the youngsters he mentors, the stories just pour out. Often their stories remind him of his own journey. He is also someone who received scholarships and travel grants –  once you’ve received these kind of gifts, you want to do the same for other people.

It was one of his mentees, a young man who had never read a novel and was sent one of the early drafts of The Second Verse, whose response and determination to keep reading, proved to Onke that while he didn’t view his book as great literature, he has the ability to capture emotions. It’s not about the words (in other words), it’s about the storytelling capability.

He was humbled when he received the South African Literary Award for Youth Literature, which confirmed to him that this is the kind of story he should write.

The book was influenced by Catcher in the Rye which at first he hated, but when he read again after dropping out at varsity, he experienced it very differently. Once he realised he was writing a coming-of-age story, he tapped into the most difficult four years of his life –  high school. He was discriminated against by both white and Black kids and always made to feel different, creating a yearning to fit in.

His two latest books are a story of two brothers whose sister died and, one he is writing for his PhD in creative writing that follows his years at Transnet and deals with a whistleblower who discovers corruption in a state-owned company. It can’t come too soon.

STATE CAPTURE IN FULL COLOUR IN THE BROTHERS NUMBER ONE AND A WEEKEND SPECIAL AT JOBURG’S MARKET THEATRE

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REVIEW BY DIANE DE BEER

Pictures: SUZY BERNSTEIN

Astrid Braaf confronts David Dennis.

THE BROTHERS NUMBER ONE AND A WEEKEND SPECIAL

A new South African Political Play

PLAYWRIGHT: Richard Calland

DIRECTOR: Greg Homann

CAST: David Dennis as Uncle; Michael Richard as Tim; Astrid Braaf as Journalist; Zane Meas as the Lawyer; Ziaphora Dakile as Tiger Claws; Melissa Haiden as Virginia

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Aalliyah Zama Matintela

SET AND COSTUME DESIGN: Lisa Younger

LIGHTING DESIGNER: Hlomohang ‘Spider’ Motheto

AV DESIGNER: Xolelwa ‘Ollie’Nhlabatsi

SOUND DESIGNER: Vagile Mpumlwana

VENUE: Mannie Manim Theatre at The Market

DATES: Until May 19

In the programme notes the playwright is described as a prominent political analyst, and a columnist for the Mail and Guardian newspaper as well as the author of a number of political books.

Zane Meas and David Dennis.

The following is also stated:

The Brothers, Number One and a Weekend Special is the story of the rise of State Capture, starting with the announcement of a new Minister of Finance in late-2015. The play, which tracks a two-year history, is written by astute political analyst, Richard Calland, who has been close to the frontline of South African politics since 1994 and a political columnist at the Mail & Guardian since 2001.

As the drama unfolds, an audience witness the high-stakes manoeuvres, clandestine dealings, and manipulation of public sentiment that fuelled further racial division across the nation. Calland weaves a narrative that connects the dots between government, media, and corrupt businessmen, laying bare the underbelly of a political landscape marked by noise, complexity, and a dangerous volatility.

This leaves you in no doubt about what is going to follow and my first thought was, this being the 30th celebration of what still feels like our young democracy, the play must be seen as a sign of our maturity as a country.

David Dennis and Astrid Braaf.
In confrontsation Astrid Braaf, and Ziaphora Dakile.

This kind of play, with a representative audience all loudly involved from start to finish, has a lot to say about what we have gone through and, how we have emerged with much more political smarts and cynicism following the Zuma years. Even though we are still suffering many financial and ideological blows from that horrific time, we are not as easily duped, no longer the silent sacrificial lambs we were then.

And at the heart of what unfolds is the playwright who as a political analyst and journalist, has the information at his fingertips.

How can we forget how the iconic Brenda Fassie song title Weekend Special became something completely different in South African minds?

Michael Richard and Melissa Haiden.

This was perhaps the turning point of the whole Zuma fiasco – his Weekend Special. You can dupe a country as much as you want it seemed, but when you go for their money, that’s a completely different ball game – and when things started to unravel for the shameless Number One. Des van Rooyen was no match for the controversially fired Nhlanhla Nene – as the rand went into free fall.

Remember those heady days for the Gupta brothers, who are still hiding out (with South African billions, mind you) somewhere in the Middle East, Switzerland or India depending on  which sources you trust.

Back to the play. We all know the facts; there were many newspaper reports as well as Thuli Madonsela and Zondo’s inquiries. With Homann smartly mixing his cast with stage veterans such as Zane Meas, Michael Richard and Dennis Becket and three young but also experienced female actors (more familiar I suspect to Cape audiences), we all had to think on our feet to work out the different characters.

David Dennis is Mac Maharaj whispered an audience member close by, but in the end it didn’t matter. You quickly gathered that the men were part of the corruption including the Guptas, as well as those handling all the shaky deals from government side, with Richard being the one watching and guiding his journalist.

David Dennis makes his point.

It was glorious to see these three in action on the same stage, masterfully matched by the young female energy in their particular roles of either ferreting out, or defying any corruption allegations, depending on their particular alliances.

It takes one back to those early days of discovery. Remember the Saxonwold shebeen? People carrying handbags stuffed with money, others denying visits to their overlords, those in command of State Capture. It feels a bit like a horror movie, but not with Calland orchestrating the manoeuvres and connecting the different dots.

And everyone was laughing. We have, after all, dodged a bullet and most of us are much less gullible than we were in those heady early days of our democracy.

The anguish is palpable.

It’s a fast-paced political thriller of sorts and it’s our own. What I would have liked is a bit more clarity in the staging. With seats on three sides, the projections were difficult to follow from the side. And some gave insight into the full affair which was unravelling at a speed.

Short and straightforward interactions would have  added more punch (from both a script and staging perspective) and added a contemporary edge. The audience obviously loved it and were fully engaged, and so was I. But, especially as we all knew the details, it simply would have elevated it into a landmark play.

WITH RULES CHANGING CONSTANTLY, KING GEORGE AT SANDTON’S THEATRE ON THE SQUARE IS ALL ABOUT THOSE WHO MANOEUVRE THE GAME BEST

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REVIEW BY DIANE DE BEER

Pictures by Philip Kuhn

KING GEORGE

A new play by Brent Palmer

DIRECTOR and production design: Adrian Collins

CAST: Clyde Berning and Brent Palmer

VENUE: Theatre on the Square, Sandton

DATES: Until May 4

King George with Brent Palmer (left) and Clyde Berning.

It’s not an easy world we live in. Nothing seems to come without some kind of threatening event or warnings to watch out for scams when dealing with the outside world with its big bad wolves on the take.

This is exactly what you witness in this smartly crafted play by Brent Palmer – one of the actors and the playwright. In the world of theatre, it helps when you can also write the stories you want to tell and if you do it this well, it’s a bonus.

The fact that it doesn’t take much more than two male actors in a room makes this one a no-brainer, especially for independent theatres that have relentless financial restrictions. Shane Wynstock (Berning) is the slick CEO of Synergy Properties. He is in the process of starting a new development and boasting about his accomplishments to a possible investor when there’s a knock on the door.

George Megalos (Palmer, who recently won a Fleur du Cap for this particular role) is someone who slides into a room and not with the bravado of  Seinfeld’s Kramer – it’s much more of a slithering entrance. He’s trouble, and that’s immediately visible.

The gloves are off.

Not that Shane seems to be bothered. And the dilemma unfolds cunningly and with great sparring between the two obviously adversarial men. It appears that there’s a problem with an audacious development plan which Shane is about to set in motion. It means problems for homeowners in the area though, as they’re just expected to vacate their homes and move.

In a standoff, George (right) and Shane are in a heated discussion

George is determined to have nothing of this as they become embroiled in a heated argument.

 The interesting twist is the switch of villains with the more sleazy character the one who can claim the moral high ground, while the obviously moneyed man is the bully who knows he has the bucks to win this round. That’s all that counts.

It’s intriguing theatre as the two actors inhabit their characters and quickly draw you into their different worlds – with some ambivalence because we live in times where first impression is based on appearance. Shane wins hands down, but it becomes clear that the tables might be turned in this one.

The play is not about the outcome; it’s much more about the world we find ourselves navigating, where the traditional rules no longer apply. It’s all about power, and that is determined by the one who has the money.

But the manoeuvring is fun and the actors obviously delight in this fast-paced duel. I loved the originality as it’s not something I’ve seen before, and it’s perfect for our crazy world where men like Trump and Zuma think they have a second chance at the top spot in spite of their sullied reputations known to all.

And they have the followers who egg them on.