Anele Situlweni | Megan's Head

Featured Actor 1

On December 10, 2010

In Cape Town, me on stage, theatre stuff

I really don’t think the extraordinary cast of Good Will Acting is getting enough attention, and I’m going to try and do my bit to fix that. For the next four days I am going to write a ‘feature’ on each one of them, totally from my point of view, because this is my blog, and I can!

Today we will be featuring the only man in the cast; Anele Situlweni. Anele walked into his audition for the industrial theatre job I was casting for with an earnest intensity that was undercut only by his natural charm and easygoing ‘vibe’. He had a combination of skills and attributes that made him the perfect choice for the job. Young, cute, warm, friendly and super talented. He played a relatively low status character in the industrial theatre job; someone who needed to appeal to the target audience and someone who they could relate to. He managed this with flying colours.

When we decided that Anele would play Ras the Rasta in Good Will Acting he took instantly to the idea, and he had tons to offer. In fact, he wrote reams of stuff that was totally brilliant and really hard to not put in when we were editing; there is probably enough really funny and original Ras stuff to do a one man show about him.

I find it so funny that Anele’s performance of a Rasta is so good that people think he is really like that, and that he is actually a Rasta in real life! The nicest thing about working with Anele is that he is a very generous performer. And he is properly hilarious. Next year he is going to be working with Siyasanga, based at Artscape and I really think everyone needs to ‘keep an eye on this guy’ as Tabatha would say. He is going to be going places and I am delighted that I got a chance to play with him.

Tough day at the office, then happiness

By megan

On December 4, 2010

In Cape Town, deeply personal, theatre stuff

I cannot lie; making theatre, especially when you have no budget, is really, really hard. When you are the director you feel responsible for each person involved since people are working on spec and others are doing you huge, huge favours.

The truth is that we had to cancel our first preview of Good Will Acting on Thursday night because we had no audience. Last night, our second preview had a robust but tiny audience. Because I am doing the sound and lights for the show (I always end upÂ doing sound and lights even though I am terrible at it!) I am the moegoe who hangs about, waiting for an audience to come! It is not a good thing to do. In Kalk Bay you can see so many people doing stuff. Holiday makers are coming off the beach, young girls walk along the street window shopping, people are at restaurants and cafes. I wanted to drag everyone I saw up the stairs of the theatre and force them to watch the show. Very frustrating.

But by the time the show ended last night and the twelve people in the audience were in raptures, I knew that it was going to be worth it. They loved it. Big time. And I loved them. Tonight is the official opening night. I so hope that word starts spreading.

Shameless Product Placement

By megan

On November 8, 2010

In Cape Town, inspiration, just funny stuff, theatre stuff

Here is a copy of a press release I am busy putting out.

Shameless Product Placement opportunity In Good Will Acting

Good Will Acting is a Christmas show being put on at The Kalk Bay Theatre from the 4^th to the 31 December, running from Wednesdays to Saturdays (not including Christmas day). It stars Anele Situlweni, Daneel van der Walt, Larissa Hughes and Ntombi Makhutshi and is directed by Megan Choritz, with lots of advice, help and instruction from Helen Cooper.

The story of how Good Will Acting came about is amazing. A group of actors were contracted to perform an industrial theatre road show and they fell in love with each other (and their director). The director (me, Megan Choritz) made the cast an offer they couldnâ€™t refuse; the chance to workshop, create and perform in a Christmas show, with no budget, no script, no venue, no set or costumes, only good ideas and plenty of enthusiasm. Four out of the five cast members agreed! (The fifth had other gigs and paying performances, we were told.)

Suddenly, the universe provided and a previously booked slot at The Kalk Bay Theatre became available. What had been a whimsical fantasy became a bold and terrifying reality.

We are on page 9 of writing the script. It is hilarious. It is going to be an Activity play, because Ras the Rasta says Nativity is too negative. Libertina X doesnâ€™t give a shit what itâ€™s called as long as her honours in theatre making skills are shown off in such a way that it guarantees proper theatre work soon. Tabatha is fully alive to the process of acting; LRA, Listen, Respond, Act, and Marlene just wants to do anything that will help her not go and waitress at the Apache Spur in Strand Street. The choreography, songs and most of the story of the birth of Christ will be borrowed from other productions and stolen from other creative sources.

As much of the industrial theatre set and props as is possible will be re-purposed for Good Will Acting but we do need some money, to maybe make a poster and flyers, or to cover transport costs and things. Which is where you come into the picture. We are offering Shameless Product Placement in the show, regardless of the product, its uses or its target market. Let Good Will Acting advertise for you, whoever you are. Do you want to sell hand-made Christmas gifts? Are you the marketing manager for Red Bull? Does Vodacom need a bit of a plug? We are literally selling four Shameless Product Placement slots in the show. Your product or service will be mentioned every night for the duration of the run for the ridiculous price of R1000. *Special discounts will be given for products that are red, white, and/or blue (blue is the new green this Christmas, because those are the corporate colours from the Industrial theatre job).

Weâ€™d love to include you in Good Will Acting. And you can help us make it happen. Call, sms, facebook, email or even twitter me. Or leave a message for me here on megan’s head. *I forgot to mention that small donations for mentions on our (still imaginary) programme will be gratefully received.

Rehearsals

By megan

On September 28, 2010

In Cape Town, theatre stuff, world of work

I am loving it. We are into our second week of rehearsals for an industrial theatre project and I am totally in my element. I am in love with each and every member of my cast, Ntombi Makhutshi, Anele Situlweni, Larissa Hughes, Keeno-Lee Hector and Daneel van der Walt. Not are they only amazing performers in and of themselves, they are also brilliant team players and work most wonderfully as a group. They make me feel blessed, and they give me the best kind of creative energy and inspiration.

The super talented Fiona du Plooy came in to rehearsals today to teach the cast some moves for the final song. Yo! She was great, and the cast already look brilliant and hilarious. Then Trevor du Buisson dropped by. He brought the backing track that he made for a very funny rewrite of I Believe I Can Fly; I Believe I Can Drive. It is fantastic! Nothing like pulling in my brilliantly creative connections to do the job.

Tomorrow we do a photo shoot in the morning and rehearse in the afternoon, and then on Thursday we have our first client viewing. I can’t wait for them to see what we’ve been up to. Life is good.

Megan's Head

A place where Megan gets off her head.

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