Showing posts with label OnStage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OnStage. Show all posts

Friday, May 23, 2014

Gaynor Young #InstantInspiration

Thank you Gaynor Young! Thank you for the joy of your blog "'Ear 'Ear"and the incredible gift of sharing your journey with the digital world. I stumbled across it as I searched through many entertainment, theatre or arts blogs and I am so profoundly happy that I did. It was the perfect thing at the perfect moment.

As artists, we so often fall victim to our own self-doubt, criticism and cynicism. We allow our 'artistic' selves to run away with endless questions, musings and often hopeless convictions about the industry or our careers.
And then you get to read a post (The Loved One!) by someone who many years after a tragic and horrific accident in a theatre and two cochlear implants later, for the first time was able to listen, really listen to a performance by the wonderful South African vocal artist PJ Powers, ... and tears begin to well up.
You read the post called Pardon! on forgiveness for those who held responsibility for this tragedy and cannot stop the gentle tears from spilling over.

Gaynor, your story is such a well known tale among theatre folk and your name synonymous with theatre safety and tragedy. BUT what people don't bother thinking about is what came after, how many challenges you must have faced and conquered since then, how you have turned that event into a pivotal moment of change and motivation in your life and how you manage to inspire so many by what you continue to accomplish day by day.

I can not wait to delve deeper into the depths of your blog and somehow get a hold of your book 'My Plunge to Fame'.

Thank you for reminding me that life is a gift, that every day is a gift and that every obstacle we face is a gift... to be more, to do more and to live more.

For #InstantInspiration go and read or follow Gaynor's blog 'Ear 'Ear and follow her on twitter at @earearblog.

Much inspired love,

Monday, May 12, 2014

Vettie Vettie #OutAndAbout

'Vettie Vettie', the first ever Afrikaans play to appear on the Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre stage. A privilege to have attended the opening performance, and something of a historical moment.


Has their ever been a South African theatre legend quite like the Tobie Cronje... 
Fred Astaire meets Robin Williams meets Stanley Tucci
(think about that for a minute)...


His sheer brilliance, wonderful subtlety, genius timing, animated physicality and divine carrying of the character/scene between the lines...  I could watch Tobie perform the cygnets from Swan Lake whilst whistling 'Siembamba mamma se kindjie' and I'd think it's amazing. (it probably would be too) 
But it's his gentle giant nature, his 'Tai Chi' spirit and his kind, humble soul that just draws you in and makes you want to sit at his feet and absorb his goodness. I have had the honour of working with Toobs in two different productions and am so grateful for it. He is probably one of the most popular people after a show, but took the unhurried time to meet and shake hands with our mentorship students, Jaydee and Mongene joining me at the event. 
Love you Toobs x 










The other three cast members, namely Hanna Grobler, Luan Jacobs and Andre Lotter are faced with quite a feat to match up to the level of expertise and experience of the theatre veteran in their midst, but I truly enjoyed each of their performances. I adored Hanna especially for her lovable and miserable 'fat' Vicky, Luan for his quirky and excellent physicality (not spilling that coffee was sheer magic) and Andre for his suave manner and using his small amount of stage time so well. 
I laughed... hard and a lot. 


But even through the light comedy, this line spoke to me... 'meeste mense ploeter maar voort, 
omdat hulle nie die moed het om te verander nie.
I do have things I want to change (don't we all), and they ain't gonna change all on their own. It's going to take some guts, determination and lots of perseverance. 


Now I just need a 'Henry' (played by Tobie) to follow me around and make sure I don't eat any chocolates, or deviate in other ways from my goals! 

Any takers? 

(Vettie Vettie is showing until the 1st of June and then travels to the Theatre on the Bay in Cape Town, tickets available at this link. )

Chat soon,