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PRESS: Naledi Theatre Award-winning musical ACTRESS has Western Cape premiere at The Drama Factory

  • Apr 7
  • 3 min read

Christine Skinner

Western Cape audiences are in for a treat with the local premiere of multiple award-winning musical ACTRESS.


Photo by Lauge
Photo by Lauge

ACTRESS is a tale that anyone who has ever had to adjust to new expectations in life – their own or someone else’s – will relate to. With eight original, fabulous show tunes, it’s time to pack your dancing shoes, Theraband, passport and tissues and head to The Drama Factory. ACTRESS will be presented from 8 to 12 April only. Don’t miss out.

 

Performed by Talia Kodesh, who co-wrote this fresh musical dramady with Bruce Dennill, composer of the unique, powerful and punchy songs, ACTRESS won the Naledi Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Musical as well as a Broadway World South Africa Award for Best New Musical. The creative dream team, including Sarah Roberts (set and costume design) and Denis Hutchinson(lighting design), also has multiple Naledi, Fleur Du Cap and Vita Awards between them. 

 

The production is directed by Daniel Geddes and features the intriguing, reserved but pivotal role of Random PropsGuy, performed by Stephen van Niekerk.

 

Actress is a funny, moving story of a woman trying to define and succeed in the different parts she plays (actress, wife, mother, daughter, teacher) while juggling the demands of all of those roles.

 

It charts a journey through stress and success, anger and auditions, triumph and tears, dance and delirium and, perhaps, the possibility of peace. 


“Actors are fundamentally storytellers. I’ve simply loved doing just that throughout my career. How exhilarating it has been for me to star in a production that I have also created, and to sing Bruce’s original songs has been an extremely special experience for me– a long-held dream come true. I cannot wait for a whole new audience to meet Actress – I’m certain they will relate to her!” says Talia.


“Bruce’s incredible original songs range from quiet, thoughtful, introspective musings to big, ballsy, belted showstoppers. As with the story, we wanted the music to help define and give colour to the many moods and spaces in the show,” she adds.


“We can all relate to the challenge, mayhem, drama and comedy that juggling multiple roles can bring, especially when things don’t go as we expect them to,” says Sue Diepeveen, founder of The Drama Factory. “We are delighted to be hosting the Cape premiere of this brilliant production.”

 

Talia has performed in productions such as Beauty and the Beast (for which she received a Naledi Nomination), RENT and We Will Rock You, among numerous others. Bruce is an award-winning arts writer who is also a singer-songwriter, performing with Johannesburg-based bands Forrest and Phringe, Memo and The Van Dyke Parks Board and as a solo artist. His music is regularly included on radio playlists as well as soundtracks of TV shows including Isidingo, Going Nowhere Slowly and Sober Companion.

 

Comments about ACTRESS include:

 

"The 10-out-of-10-ness of this show is about all the different elements of it coming together. Perfectly." - Robyn Sassen, robynsassenmyview.com

 

"This is a masterpiece of theatre… You will cry, you will laugh and your soul will be forever changed." - Carly Graeme

 

"It's a production that lingers in your thoughts long after the final curtain falls." - thesomethingguy.co.za


ACTRESS will be performed at The Drama Factory on:

 

8 April at 17h00

9,10,11 April at 19h30

11 and 12 April at 15h00

12 April at 18h00

 

Tickets cost R220 / R190

 

 

With its fully licensed bar and cosy, welcoming atmosphere, The Drama Factory is the perfect venue to enjoy top-quality entertainment with a group of friends or family. The solar powered invertor ensures the show will always go on, even when there is load-shedding!


Make a staycation of a visit to The Drama Factory, booking in with one of their wonderful accommodation partners. Spend the night at The Views Guesthouse, 185 on Beachor Majorca House to enjoy the beauty and many other activities on offer in the surrounding Helderberg region. Visit the website for further details.


The Drama Factory is situated at 10 Comprop Sq, Henry Vos Close, Asla Business Park, Strand, Western Cape. Parking is available at the venue.




 
 

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