Kalk Bay Theatre | Megan's Head

A little more about Me (part 7)

On April 15, 2013

In Cape Town, deeply personal, G'town, inspiration, me on stage, theatre stuff, world of work, writing

I woke up this morning with words running through my head. This is a good thing. You see, I have started learning words for my self-penned one-woman show Drive With Me, that will be premiering on this year’s Grahamstown festival’s fringe. I have forgotten how hard it is to learn words for a one-person show, but I am so thrilled that I am doing this that the learning is a joy. As it should be. I am feeling so different about this show. I am deeply proud of my writing. In Drive With Me I have come as close as possible to really saying exactly what I intended. Now to honour it with some good acting.

I am also filled with creamy bubbles of excitement because Song and Dance enters its second week of rehearsals today, for a run at The Kalk Bay Theatre starting on 1 May. I popped in to the rehearsal room on Friday and director Ntombi Makhutshi and perfect cast Anele Situlweni, Deon Nebulane and Zondwa Njokweni are doing hilarious and amazing stuff. It’s the first time I have written something and then completely handed it over to others to make, and it is thrilling.

So, truth is, I feel like one of the luckiest people again.

Rocking Improv Fest

By megan

On February 4, 2013

In Cape Town, improv, me on stage

Last week’s improv fest got off to one hellova start for all of us, and for me in particular. We ‘opened’ our long form improv fest with a magnificent Western directed by Candice D’Arcy, and it was dark, bloody, moody and magical. I played the brothel Madam Cas, and I loved every second of being the power hungry, hard-as-nails, bitch of the town, right up until I was shot and died in front of the audience. Hectic.

Then, on Thursday night it was Tandi Buchan’s turn to direct Thursday at Thornton Hall, our full length improvised period drama. This time I was a slightly crazed, old, animal loving aunt to an eligible young bachelor, and I can say with confidence that it was the most fun I have had on stage in a very, very long time, even though there were only about 10 terribly lucky audience members there.

This week I am on stage every night, and directing the Austen on Thursday and the Family Musical on Friday. Plus I am performing the Saturday Superscene; viscious, competitive, highly entertaining improv. How could you resist? Come check us out. Here is a pic of us pre-Thornton Hall.

Post Prague Improv excitement

By megan

On January 28, 2013

In Cape Town, improv, inspiration, me on stage, theatre stuff

It’s taken me longer than I thought it would to recover and get used to being back. Cape Town has been aggressively windy, my sinuses are screaming, and the cough and cold I brought back from the temperatures in the minuses have been resolutely unshakeable. But, there is no time to ponder all of this, because starting from nowish, well at least tonight, is the beginning of two solid weeks of improv, with a brief break for me on the weekend for my sister-in-law’s wedding. It feels totally crazy and exciting, and the best part is that it is all improv so I don’t have to feel unprepared, just open and jolly, really.

Tonight is our first show of the year back at The Intimate, and it will be the usual evening of short form TheatreSports mayhem that our town side locals have come to know and love. Tomorrow night is TheatreSports at Kalk Bay Theatre, again for the usual suspects. After that things get properly crazy. Wednesday 30 Jan and Wed the 6th Feb are Wednesday Westerns, and I must confess I am the most excited to perform this. An hour and a half of Western drama, with guns, stage coach scenes, posses, outlaws, prostitutes, ranchers and everything else. Thursdays are also going to be totally delicious. They are Thursday at Thornton Hall, period dramas in the Jane Austen milieu (100 years today since the release of Pride and Prejudice!), Fridays are Family Musicals and Saturday is a highly competitive format called Superscene. Same thing for the 2nd week. I am absolutely convinced there is something to tickle everyone’s fancy.

I’ll probably write about each one afterwards, but if you want to see how amazingly brilliant, diverse and creative we are, book for our fest on the Kalk Bay Theatre website, or call Lisa on 0729393351 for the Monday or Tuesday shows.

30 Exciting things before the year ends. And after. And latkes.

By megan

On December 26, 2012

In Cape Town, deeply personal, do me a flavour, theatre stuff, travel log, world of work

So Christmas has just been, and in a special twist of lucky fish fate it was a divine family one, with Big Friendly’s true blood in the Cape to celebrate. It was delicious, and seven year old Kai crowned me the best cooker. What an award.

But before I even relax a teeny bit I am getting ready to jump into a few things before the year is out. I am in the recording studio over the next two days, directing voice overs for GreatGuide, who have more than one or two projects on the go that I am involved with. And tomorrow (Thurs 27th) w are performing our first monthly long form experimental improv show called Jam Sandwich, at The Alexander Bar. The teeny theatre above the bar seems to have taken off with wings, and we are delighted to be part of it. I think we are all sold out for tomorrow night. How cool? Cool.

Then, rehearsals are under way for Fully Committed. I worked on directing this show at the very beginning of the year with Pieter Bosch Botha, who performed this decadent marathon of a one-man-playing-37-characters, before he took it to the Festival of Fame in Jozi. Well, now on the first two weekends of 2013 it is going to have its first showing in Cape Town at The Alexander Bar. I can’t wait. Pieter Bosch Botha is inspiring. It will be on on Friday and Saturday the 4th and 5th and again the following weekend of the 11th and 12th. Book here now because the small venue sells out fast.

And then, on the 9th of January I am winging my way to Prague, of all places, for two weeks. It’s also for GreatGuide. We are going to be designing and writing commentary for walking tours of Prague and I cannot wait! Prague. Winter. Oldness. Eastern Europe. 1st time.

I come straight back and jump into our most exciting Improv Festival at the Kalk Bay Theatre from 30 Jan to 9 Feb.

Gung ho for next year I tell ya.

But right now it is latke time with our favourite family, the Noodles. Here is my made up recipe for the most flawless, delicious latkes. Grate peeled potatoes on the fine grate. Do an onion too. Squeeze out as much juice as you can. Mix in an egg and some flour. Put blobs of the mixture in hot oil. Turn them often and try your hardest to wait until they go a delicious golden brown. Eat with sour cream, apple sauce (apparently), marmalade (not my cuppa) or even dijon mustard. Yum.

Totally Enchanting Kitchen Fables in a Cookie Jar

By megan

On December 17, 2012

In Cape Town, inspiration, show reviews

pic by Niklas Zimmer

Second time I have literally had to drag my sorry arse to morning children’s theatre, only this time I had the legitimate excuse of feeling a little jagged. it was fellow improviser Lisa Greenstein’s wedding last night.

As much as I didn’t feel like driving out to Kalk Bay Theatre for Jori Snell’s Kitchen Fables in a Cookie Jar, I knew I would love it once I got there and I wasn’t disappointed. Ok, I was, because it wasn’t totally sold out. But that’s the only reason.

There were lot’s of teenie weenies in the audience and before she started, Jori introduced herself and put active imaginations to rest in terms of scariness. It worked. The kids bought in, cookie jar, spoon and whisk.

This delicious piece takes place in a kitchen that is sometimes an ordinary space, and sometimes a strange, dream place, where all the ordinary becomes interesting and unusual and something other. Lights, paper, utensils, flour and special effects transform, but it is the magical Jori who takes us on, with and through. She is a technical master, an elastic girl and an imagination wizard. I loved every last minute. And so did the kids around me. They laughed, cackled, whispered and spoke their delight.

My favourite was lemon finger man. But I loved everything else too. The special magic grass floor, the flour faced old lady, the quirky cookie kitchen pixie, the light fitting, the jar face. The sound was trippy and wonderful too.

Find a kid to take along to this absolute delight.

Not so Absolucy

By megan

On February 9, 2012

In Cape Town, show reviews

I want to put this off and forget about it. I want to not be here and not really do this. You see, I went to the opening night of Absolucy at The Kalk Bay Theatre last night and it was horrible. There are going to be many who disagree with me, and I’ll get lots of comments and people will end up tuning me, but I can’t help it. This show was not only not my cup of tea, it was also not anything else.

This is a one-woman cabaret style fake/true ‘story’ about someone who has talent but also has a drinking problem. It’s a confessional ‘biography’. It’s kinda like an excuse to do some songs, some with added costumes. The great thing is that Lucy Tops has got an unbelievable and amazing voice. She is also a very pretty girl. So we have a pretty girl with an amazing voice, but no show. There is nothing. No story, no character arc, no meaning, no irony, no comedy, no comic timing, no theatricality, no originality. Lucy is a great voice and great physical being with total disconnect between what she is singing and doing, and the material. She is also self-conscious which makes everything seem so fake.

My advice to Lucy is; get an experienced director and workshop the material. Develop the character. Find the style. Commit to the performance in a more genuine way. I know. I should probably lighten up. But Absolucy left me in the dark.

Megan's Head

A place where Megan gets off her head.

Tag: Kalk Bay Theatre (Page 2 of 5)

A little more about Me (part 7)

Rocking Improv Fest

Post Prague Improv excitement

30 Exciting things before the year ends. And after. And latkes.

Not so Absolucy

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