Strutting her strumpet
Three years after ‘Isidingo’, Judy Ditchfield plays a lady of the night, writes Robyn Sassen
THEY are crass. They are crude. But they have soul. These are the Tarts — Judy Ditchfield, Ilse Klink and Caitlin Clerk — three generations in this (almost) no-holes-barred revue about hookers.
Performing at Daphne Kuhn’s Sandton theatre was on Ditchfield’s “things to do before I turn 50” list, alongside stopping smoking (ticked), losing some weight (ticked) and visiting Machu Picchu in Peru.
This daughter of a musical family and Pietermaritzburg graduate carved a space for herself in Durban’s Loft Theatre Company.
“I was the 13th member, on half-salary, once I made them agree they couldn’t form a company without considering Maritzburg’s talent. It was 1985. I was 21. I had no money, but I was having a ball.”
Two years later she moved to Johannesburg, where she met and married musician Paul Ditchfield.
It has been nearly three years since this actress, better known as Isidingo’s Stella Fouché, has appeared on TV. “There’s been no story involving her for a long time. I came to Isidingo for four episodes. I stayed for seven and a half years. I feel Stella has served her purpose — it’s time to move on.
“Funnily, in my very first episode, I was opposite Ilse. I performed with her in the first show of Menopause the Musical. And here we are again.”
Ditchfield and Klink are wonderful performers with character, voice and heart that will make your own heart sing.
Ditchfield plays Ruby, a prostitute with turf issues and two younger pros to contend with.
This Kevin Feather produc- tion debuted in 1987 and Ditchfield appeared in it then, too.
“When I heard Kevin was rejuvenating it and wanted me to play in it again, I reckoned it would have to be a send-up.
The show has been tweaked; it features songs from Broadway musicals like The Story of My Life and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. I’m the hooker who’s getting too old for the oldest profession; Ilse is Lola and into S&M, and Caitlin Clerk is Angel, an ingénue with dreams.
“It’s naughty but not revolting.” When her younger son, 17year-old Thomas, saw the denim shorts that comprised her costume, all he could say was: “Oh, Mommy!”
A few months ago, Ditchfield sent Kuhn a play she wanted to do at this theatre: Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. The play, by Richard Alfieri, opened in Los Angeles in 2001 and has since been performed in 20 countries in 12 languages. Kuhn loved it. “I’ll be playing opposite Jose Domingos, Stella’s boyfriend Vleis in Isidingo!”
The actress says the Alfieri piece “is not a deeply intellectual play. It’s funny; there are lots of goose-bumpy parts. She’s 72 but pretends she’s 68. He’s 35 going on 45. It opens in January 2014.”
She says of the theatre: “When you are honest on stage, magic happens. Right now, I feel I’m exactly where I am supposed to be. The role is tiring vocally, but boy, it feels nice!”