A Conversation with Jennie Reznek

Jennie Reznek is multihyphenate. She is a performer, theatremaker, director, choreographer, lecturer, co-founder, trustee and director of Magnet Theatre. She has also worked as an aerialist and clown in the circus. We sat down with her at the Magnet Theatre offices to discuss her career, the challenges of founding a theatre company and the moments that have inspired her.  Continue reading

A Conversation with Tankiso Mamabolo

Tankiso Mamabolo is a recent graduate of UCT who has burst onto the scene. Before graduating she performed in Black Dog/injemnyama which had a successful run at the Baxter Theatre. Tankiso also co-created and starred in the critically acclaimed production of The Fall which went on to win an Encore Award at this year’s Fleur du Cap Awards and will be returning to the Baxter later this year. Following that, Tankiso will reprise her role in Ameera Conrad’s Reparation at the National Arts Festival followed by starring in the highly anticipated new South African musical Calling Me Home. Continue reading

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 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 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

A Conversation with Sandra Prinsloo

Sandra Prinsloo is a true doyenne of the South African performing arts industry. It was estimated that she has performed in over 100 different productions and with no signs of slowing down anytime soon, that number could very easily double. Currently, she is starring in So Ry Miss Daisy which sees her reunited with John Kani, 30 years after working together for the first time in the ‘controversial’ production of Miss Julie.

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A Conversation with Meg Rickards and Christia Visser

Following a limited release last year, Tess, the award-winning film based on the novel Whiplash by Tracey Farren, releases across South Africa tomorrow. Director Meg Rickards has assembled an entirely South African crew and cast, lead by Christia Visser to tell the haunting story of Tess, a 20-year-old sex worker whose life is turned upside down when she discovers that she’s pregnant. We sat down with Meg and Christia to discuss their work on this groundbreaking film.
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A Conversation with Janice Honeyman and Anna-Mart van der Merwe

Theatre legends Janice Honeyman and Anna-Mart van der Merwe have joined forces once again, this time tackling Florian Zeller’s The Mother, which opened at The Fugard Theatre last week. Directed by Ms. Honeyman and starring Ms. van der Merwe as the title character, The Mother tells the story of Anne, a woman losing her grip on reality as her life spins out of control. The Mother follows its companion piece, The Fatherwhich had a sold-out run at  The Fugard last year. 

For the Afrikaans translation of this article, please click here.

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A Conversation with Chloe Perling

Chloe Perling is an actress, singer and dancer. Currently she has returned to her role of Consuela in The Fugard Theatre’s production of West Side Story which makes its Johannesburg transfer. In her short time since graduating from The Waterfront Theatre College, Chloe has starred in three back-to-back Fugard musicals including Cabaret, West Side Story and The Rocky Horror Show and made her on-screen debut in Warner Brother’s A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits. 

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