An ascension of theatre
LARA Foot’s highly acclaimed and award-winning play The Inconvenience of Wings returns to the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio from February 13 to March 3 following its local and international success.
The production transfers to the Baxter, straight after a short season at the Theatre on the Bay until February 10.
Since its premiere in 2016 The Inconvenience of Wings has received sold-out success at the National Arts Festival, the Baxter and the Market Theatre, amassing five-star reviews including, most recently, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Foot, the 2016 National Arts Festival Featured Artist and a former Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre winner, has assembled a stellar cast, comprising Jennifer Steyn, Andrew Buckland and Mncedisi Shabangu, and creative team.
In 2017, the play received the coveted Fleur du Cap awards for best director (Foot), best actor (Andrew Buckland) and best actress (Jennifer Steyn), who the British Theatre Guide notes “delivers an unforgettable performance”.
The play is, at its heart, a love story, which make for compelling viewing with burning contemporary themes such as bipolar disorder and compulsion, and its devastating effect on the family. It cuts close to the bone for anyone who has suffered mental illness themselves, or has lived with someone who is afflicted.
Set in a landscape of memory and dreams, The Inconvenience of Wings tackles the issues of friendship, dysfunction, addiction and angels. Sara (Steyn) has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder; she is compulsive, alive and hates women who know how to make cupcakes. Paul (Buckland), her husband, is on a mission to find a cure for her afflictions and Professor James (Shabangu) quietly tries to save Paul from the inconvenience of his wings.
This powerful and poignant drama was inspired by author Abraham J Twerski’s book Addictive Thinking that examines the notion of compulsion, addiction, denial and abuse of self as well as conversations on bipolar disorder that Foot had with celebrated psychiatrist Dr Sean Baumann. It was further stirred by her father who has suffered from dementia for more than a decade.
Set design is by Patrick Curtis, lighting design by Mannie Manim, with costumes by Birrie le Roux, composition by Philip Miller and choreography by Grant van Ster.
* Booking for The Inconvenience of Wings at Theatre on The Bay until February 10, at 8.15pm, is through Computicket or any Shoprite Checkers outlet, online at www.computicket.com or call 0861 915 8000.
Booking for The Inconvenience of Wings at the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio from February 13 to March 3, at 7.30pm, is through Webtickets on 086 111 0005, online at www.webtickets.co.za or at selected Pick n Pay outlets.