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Barbara Loots
It’s alive! Theatre is alive! Christiaan Olwagen found Chekov, administered some creative CPR and breathed new life into classic Afrikaans theatre in the visionary must-see Die Seemeeu showing at Baxter Theatre until 31 October 2015!!!
When it comes to my new generation theatre talent crushes, Albert Pretorius is definitely one of my top two (I will leave it to you to figure out who my other top Pretorius is). So to see him on stage, alongside two legends such as Sandra Prinsloo and Marius Weyers, is the theatre treat of the year for me! No questions asked! Apart from them, this play has an ensemble you are going to search far and wide to find again. With a script of this calibre and a steller cast, this production can't be anything but amazing. It is the ultimate theatre combo of written work and creative expression. Another favourite that stands out in the cast is the goth-chick character Cintaine Schutte totally embodies. In the theatre arena Cintaine is definitely kicking butt and taking names. This is but one of her recent amazing performances and you definitely want to watch every play where she takes the stage. Martelize Kolver also left me absolutely amazed. I again realised that she is probably one of the most underrated Afrikaans actresses at the moment. I wish I could see her on stage more often. It is so amazing that this play gives her a great opportunity to showcase her comedic timing. If some awesome director theatre guardian angel is reading this, please can we see more of Martelize. Oh and the set! The set is amazing! I want it in my house... *happy sigh*. It totally captures the Russian ‘landscape’ of the original text, yet it speaks to the adapation too in a manner that still makes the story relatable. In fact, when it comes to the complete ‘product’ of Die Seemeeu, my plus one on the night said “It’s all so very Afrikaans, you recognise some family members you may not want to know in there, it’s actually scary!” Scary awesome that is. Die Seemeeu is the cool kid on the theatre block. The one everyone wants to hang with. It you miss out, you are going to be that dull dude that has no idea what all the in-the-know theatre people will be talking, no actually raving, about for at least the next 4 months. Don’t be uncool! Buy your tickets at Computicket today, because there are only 4 shows left… run, for goodness sake, run! And after you have bought your ticket, start listening to Tatu’s ‘All About Us’. I have been listening to that song with Die Seemeeu nostalgia on repeat ever since Albert Pretorius made it legendary again… go see the show and you will totally get what I am talking about. Step aside John Cusack, there is a new icon on the (theatre) scene! Not sold yet? Well, apart from the epic story line, the amazing set, and gasp and giggle enticing dark comedy genius moments through-out, you also get to see Sandra Prinsloo do yoga on stage while not dropping a line or stepping out of character once! Fleur du Cap much? I’m just saying! Oh and after seeing Rolanda Marais leave everything, plus the kitchen sink, on the stage during her no-holds-barred performance, I have been walking around chanting “leeg, leeg, leeg”, banging my fist on my chest, while staring at random strangers at the most absurd moments just because it felt like the appropriate degree of existential expressionism at the time… in short I just wanted to be absolutely abstractly weird when the moment demanded it and it fit! Thank you for being my theatre spirit inspiration Rolanda… you rock! Plus when it comes to pregnant pauses and take-your-breath-away finale scenes, Die Seemeeu packs a punch that not even a Floyd Mayweather opponent would see coming (sorry sports reference, google it!). So what the hell are you still reading this for? Go book your tickets already to see one of my favourite productions of the year! Is this my number one choice of 2015? Can’t say yet… spoilers! If I had my way, I would be in the audience every single evening to see this multi-layered, theatre critique on theatre and life and society and just everything in between hope and the hopeless. Thank you Saartjie Botha for bringing this masterpiece to the Baxter Theatre.
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