A Conversation with Lucy Tops

Lucy Tops is a singer, songwriter and actress. As a vocalist, she has released several songs and CD’s and performs in the singing duo The Romantix alongside her husband, Alexander Tops. Over the last few years, Lucy has dazzled audiences by starring in several hit productions including Funny Girl, The Rocky Horror Show, Bar None for which she received a Fleur du Cap nomination and Shakespeare in Love which returns to the Fugard Theatre later this year. However, it her latest role in the South African premiere of Joshua Harmon’s critically acclaimed Broadway play, Significant Other, that has audiences seeing her tackle a leading role and making it her own.
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A Conversation with Louisa Talbot

Choreographer and dancer Louisa Talbot became a soloist in the Cape Dance Company at the age of 13, specialising in contemporary and classical dance. She became a member of Jazzart Dance Theatre and went on to freelance for Free Flight Dance Company and Bovim Ballet. In 2004, Louisa started her musical theatre career with the musical Show Boat. She began choreographing musicals for The Fugard Theatre in 2013 and went on to be nominated for a Best Choreography Naledi Theatre Award for The Rocky Horror Show. Other theatre choreography credits include Cabaret, Funny Girl and West Side Story which is currently running at Artscape in its return Cape Town season. Continue reading

A Conversation with Birrie le Roux

Birrie le Roux is an award-winning costume and production designer. In 2016 she was awarded a Fleur du Cap award for her costumes for Orpheus in Africa. During the last year she has designed costumes for theatrical hits such as District Six- KanalaClybourne ParkWest Side Story and Funny Girl to name a few. One cannot argue that Birrie’s costumes take on the role of an additional character on stage, they serve the plot, give context and always somehow manage to take your breath away. We sat down to chat about her full-circle journey back to her first love, theatre.  Continue reading

A Conversation with Diane Wilson, Michele Maxwell and Kate Normington: The Women of Funny Girl

Theatre legends Diane Wilson, Kate Normington and Michele Maxwell have joined forces to star in The Fugard Theatre’s production of Funny Girl. With over a century’s worth of experience between the three of them, they have graced South African stages playing all the iconic roles that theatre has to offer, all while collecting every top accolade along the way. What is interesting to note is the bond that has formed between these three women during the run of the show, leading us to believe that the “sisterhood of the poker ladies” will continue to live on far beyond this production.
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A Conversation with Ashleigh Harvey

When The Fugard Theatre announced their plans to stage a production of Funny Girl, the first question on everyone’s mind was, “Who will land the legendary role of Fanny Brice?” The answer to that question is Ashleigh Harvey. Far from being an unknown, Ashleigh has spent most of her career performing straight plays, most of them being classical works and even snagging a Naledi Award nomination along the way. However, once you hear her belt out the iconic show-stopping numbers in Funny Girl, it’s hard not to become an instant fan.  Continue reading