Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
Page 47
Page 48
43Theessenceoftheatreissimpleitisalivemirrorthatreects.Itshowsusthetruthabouthumannatureandthetruthaboutthebasichumancondition.Thisreectionorreectingonbythetellingofastoryroleplayandobservationistheforcethatcreatesinusanunderstandingaspecialkindofawarenessthatallowsustogrow.SoletusquestionlifeandallowmetosharethedilemmaIndmyselfinwhilstobservingthiscurrentmirrorofourscalledtheatre.HonestlyIstruggleseeingusSouthAfricainthesmokeandglareofalltheoverseasmusicals.Ilosefocusandinterestintheendlessrepetitionoftheperceivedmainstreamclassicsorhits.Ibattletoidentifymyselfinthefewandfarbetweendramasofstaledsubjectmatter.Insteadofallowingmetopeerintothefutureandseewhatwecouldbeandtherebycreatinghopeitkeepsonremindingmeofwhatwewereorofsomethingthatwearenot.Itis2012andtheworldisaverydifferentplace.Isitpossiblethatwemightleave19thcenturyrealismbehindandmoveawayfromapartheidtheatreofthex1880sOfcoursetheseissuesarestillrelevantdonx19tgetmewrongProtesttheatrewillalwaysneedexploringuntilthedaywehavenothingtoprotestaboutrightasifthatwilleverhappenbuttherearenewimmediatecomplexitiesandstoriesthatneedtobedealtwith.Growthdependsonusdealingwithit.Thescopeofitdependsonndingnewdifferentandexcitingwaysofdoingso.IrishplaywrightJMSyngesaidx1cDramatheatreisatitsbestnotwhendealingwithsocialproblemsbutwhenitfeedstheimagination.x1dAndthisiswhereIamatwhereIbelieveouraudiencesorratherSouthAfricaare.Ourimaginationsareonlymarginallyfuelledbytheatreatthispoint.Weareonthisexcitingjourneyofexplorationanddiscoveryweareheadingtowardsanewwayofthinkingandyetverylittleofourtheatrereectsanyofthis.Yesofcourseweshouldbeglobalandtherewillalwaysbeaplaceforforeignexpressiononourstages.Itisthroughthisexchangethatsocietiesandourtheatresevolve.Butx14whatareweexpressingaboutourselvesontheglobalstageOnourownstagesWehavetheskillwehavetheartistswehavethepassionandwearedenitelynotshortofstories.Allthatislackingitseemstomeiscourage.Notonlythecouragetostickourhandsintothesmolderingheapofashesbutalsothebeliefthatwecanpullfromitaphoenix.Notaphoenixadornedintheimaginationofothersbutoneadornedinthesweatofourjourneyandthecelebrationofwherewestandatthismomentintime.Ourindustryisoverowingwithgreatideasgreatmindsandgreatpeoplewhorisetothechallengecreatingphoenixafterphoenix.Unfortunatelywithintheglitzofbigbudgettheatrewithinthestrongholdofthex18oldboysclubsx19withinthefearofthisx18newwayx19theseexpressionsgetreducedtoashestimeaftertime.Someofthemshamefullyandtoourowndetrimentneverriseagain.WhatAmericansEuropeansandAustralianssucceedinisthatwhentalentandgreatstoriesareidentiedx13theynurturethemTheydevelopthem.Theygrowthem.Aprovenformulaofassuringnotonlylongevitycutting-edgeinnovationandaneffortlesscrossoverbetweenoldandnewbutalsoofanaudienceadedicatedtheatre-goingaudience.IwouldhavethoughtthatwebeingsoobsessedwitheverythingnotSouthAfricanwouldhavecaughtontothisfactbynowTheneglectofourownartistsandorproductionsdirectlylinktotheneglectofouraudiencesandwhenwestartneglectingouraudiencesx14theatreisnolongeramirror.Itbecomesanelitiststatementcreatingnothingmorethancontemporaryapartheidtheatre.Whatisneedediscollaborationonamuchdeeperscalenotisolation.Yesartortheatrereectssocietyx19sjourneyandyesintheenditstillremainsapersonalexperience.Itboilsdowntotheindividualandbeinganindividualinessenceisallaboutchoice.Choiceisthefoundationofhumannatureofthebasichumancondition.Historyhasprovenwithoutashadowofadoubtthatwewillalwayschoosetheidealx14whateverthatidealmightbe.Iaskedacolleagueofminewhathisthoughtswereonthisspecicquestion.Withouthesitationhesimplyansweredx1cWelackcontinuity.x1dThreewordsthatmadethiscomplexartformextremelysimpletomecontinuityisowowismovingeffortlesslyfromonethingtothenextonwhateverlevel.Movementsuggestsactionandactionisnothingmorethanachoice.WeasSouthAfricansareontheprecipiceofgreatness.Rightnowwearestandingonthatledgeourtoesfeelingthewindbeneaththem.WillwehavethecouragetoleapCantheatreinspireanationtodosoIguessintheendthechoiceisyours...Ihavemademine.IRISHPLAYWRIGHTJMSYNGESAIDx1cDramaisatitsbestnotwhendealingwithsocialproblemsbutwhenitfeedstheimagination.x1dPhotoJanPotgieter