Yay. From today there will be other things in my life. We opened last night and I was really happy. I like this play. I love my designer Alfred Rietmann and his set and lights, and Pitchie Rommelaere’s phenomenal sound. I adore my stage manager Lucas Macuphe. But, most importantly I am completely in love with my extraordinary, talented, diverse, committed and gorgeous cast. Indulge me. I am going to list them and extol their virtues.
Sizwe Msutu. Accomplished, magnetic, powerful. Brilliant story teller and character actor. A rock and a pivot. A star.
Nicola Hanekom. I am in awe of this, one of South Africa’s most shit hot actresses. She is unbelievable. Most talented, beautiful, committed, emotional, connected and creative. She takes the character Ruth to another place.
Pierre Malherbe. So, so good, A director’s actor. Questioning, involved and super skilled. This guy makes the play.
Nelson Chileshe Musonda. Gorgeous. Talented. Delightful. Hilarious. nobody else could be Samson.
Leon Clingman. Creative, serious, intelligent, hardworking. He turned the character of Charlie into a person.
Albert Pretorius. I love watching this guy. Mark my words. He is going places. Brilliant. Catch him in the incredible …miskien at The Intimate later this month.
Deborah Vieyra. She stepped in at short notice and made my life so easy. A delightful, charming, gorgeous actress.
Lungelo Sitimela. Hilarious, hard working, intuitive. An old fashioned, proper, real actor.
A cast from the theatre gods. Thank you for making my dream come true.
We start rehearsing on Monday, so my mind is full-up with it. I am full of the usual pre-rehearsal anxiety; is the script good enough? Do I know what I’m doing as a director? Can a writer/director do justice to the script and honour the actors? Have I done enough prep? Once we get stuck in to rehearsals those feelings will dissolve, morph and develop. New things will occupy that now space of nervous/neurotic anticipatory panic.
One of my blessed moments is having found a designer who totally, completely gets my work. Alfred Rietmann helped me stage the showcase, and this time around he is designing set, costume and lights. I am absolutely in love with what he is doing. He also designed the gorgeous poster BTW.
