SA stars out in force for the Bard’s tale
AN ALL-LOCAL production of the West End smash hit comedy Shakespeare in Love comes to the Fugard Theatre in October with the best of this country’s acting talent.
Eric Abraham will present the Fugard Theatre production and the South African premiere. Written by Lee Hall and adapted from the Academy Award-winning (1999) screenplay by Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman, the comedy ran for an extended sold out season at the West End’s Noel Coward Theatre in London in 2014.
The South African premiere features 21 actors, and a dog, and is directed by the Fugard Theatre’s resident director Greg Karvellas (The Father, Clybourne Park, Bad Jews, CHAMP).
Shakespeare in Love features Dylan Edy (New Boy, Hamlet, Origins) as Will Shakespeare; Roxane Hayward (Blood Drive, Saints and Strangers) as Viola de Lessops and includes CapeTalk’s John Maytham as Fennyman.
Multiple award-winner Robyn Scott (London Road, Elizabeth 1- Almost By Chance a Woman) stars as Queen Elizabeth and Jason Ralph (The Phantom of the Opera (World Tour), Chicago) as Lord Wessex; Richard Wright-Firth (Robin Hood, Vacancy) as Robin; Bianca Flanders (District Six Kanala, Orpheus in Africa) as Mistress Quickly and Theo Landey (The Play That Goes Wrong; The History Boys) as Marlowe.
Also starring Nicholas Pauling (The Father, A Steady Rain, Clybourne Park) as Ned Allen; Sven Ruygrok (The Mother, Epstein, Spud) as Sam and Mark Elderkin (Twelfth Night, Champ) as Burbage.
Set design is by Paul Wills (King Kong, A Human Being Died That Night), costume design by Birrie le Roux (King Kong, Funny Girl, West Side Story) with lighting design by Wolf Britz (Die Seemeeu; Wie’s Bang vir Virginia Woolf?) and sound design by Charl Johan Lingenfelder (West Side Story, King Kong, Funny Girl, Cabaret).
The story: Young Will Shakespeare has writer’s block… the deadline for his new play is fast approaching but he is in desperate need of inspiration. That is, until he finds his muse – Viola.
This beautiful young woman is Will’s greatest admirer and will stop at nothing (including breaking the law) to appear in his next play.
Against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming and backstage theatrics, Will’s love for Viola quickly blossoms and inspires him to write his greatest masterpiece.
Shakespeare In Love will run at the Fugard Theatre from October 10, Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8pm with a 4pm performance on Saturdays and Sundays (except Sunday, October 15 ). Tickets from R130 to R320 and can be booked through the Fugard Theatre on 021 461 4554.