A Conversation with Tinarie van Wyk Loots

Stage and screen actress Tinarie van Wyk Loots is currently performing in Hemelruim at The Fugard Theatre, a role that has already awarded her Best Actress at The Aardklop National Arts Festival, the KKNK and at the kykNET Fiëstas 2016. In this year alone, Tinarie has already appeared on stage in five major productions. Awards and production credits aside, Tinarie radiates passion for the work that she does.

To read the conversation in Afrikaans please click here.
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A Conversation with Denise Newman

Stage and screen actress Denise Newman has been a professional actor for over 30 years. Throughout the course of her career, Denise has managed to move seamlessly between the mediums of theatre, film and television, picking up multiple awards along the way. Currently, she has revived her acclaimed one-woman show Cold Case: Revisiting Dulcie Septemberfor a short run at Alexander Bar. By day, Denise is starring on Suidooster. We sat down to chat about the complex life and death of Dulcie September, the demands of performing in theatre and television simultaneously and the advice she’d give to her younger self.  Continue reading

A Conversation with Sylvaine Strike

Sylvaine Strike is an award-winning actress, director and theatremaker as well as the artistic director and co-founder of Fortune Cookie Theatre Company. In 2012 she received critical acclaim for her direction of Molière’s The Miser. In the last month, she has won a SAFTA award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Those Who Can’t and received a Kanna nomination for her direction of DOP at the KKNK fees. Her latest production of Molière’s Tartuffe has just launched on its national tour.  Continue reading

Spotlight on SWIFT

Jacqui-Lee Katz, Flavia Motsisi and Zoe Chiriseri are three core board members of SWIFT. SWIFT stands for Sisters Working in Film and Television. They are a South African based NPO for women in film & TV. Sarafina Magazine sat down with Jacqui-Lee, who heads up their Social Media and Marketing committee, Flavia, who works in the Skills and Mentorship subcommittee and Zoe, who works within the organisational structure, to learn more about this brand new and vital organisation.

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A Conversation with Nicky Schrire

Nicky Schrire is a versatile vocalist and composer whose work has taken her all over the world. Her latest piece, Escape: The Ingrid Jonker Suite has required Nicky to revisit the work of acclaimed South African poet, Ingrid Jonker, and create a unique theatre experience setting the iconic poems to music. We sat down with Nicky at Alexander Bar to chat about the show and her perception on the current climate for female musicians.  Continue reading

A Conversation with Jennifer Steyn

Over the course of her career, stage and screen actress Jennifer Steyn has gifted audiences with some truly iconic performances. Fresh off her recent Fleur du Cap Theatre Award win for her role as Sara in Lara Foot‘s The Inconvenience of Wings, Jennifer is back on stage, this time tackling the role of the strong-willed painter Galactia in Howard Baker’s Scenes from an Execution. In addition to her work as an actress, Jennifer is also a director and a voice and performance teacher. We sat down with her at the Baxter Theatre to discuss her new production, her career and the moments that have inspired her.

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A Conversation with Khanyisile Mbongwa

Khanyisile Mbongwa is an artist and co-curator of Infecting the City, a multi-disciplinary public arts festival that takes place in the heart of Cape Town. As an artist, Khanyisile’s work has taken her all over the world and won her numerous awards. Currently, she is a Mellon Scholar at The Institute for Creative Arts at UCT.  Continue reading

A Conversation with Carlynn de Waal-Smit

Carlynn de Waal-Smit is essentially a superhero in the industry. She is an agent and founder of Contractors Artists. She is also an advocate for the rights of professional actors, serving as the National Secretary of SAGA, a guild which she helped form. She also serves on the executive board of the PMA. For the past few years, Carlynn has championed for fair and ethical treatment of performers in the industry. We sat down to discuss SAGA, the misconceptions surrounding being an agent and the future for actors in South Africa.  Continue reading