Marc Lottering gets serious

2007-10-10 16:45

Cape Town - The Baxter Theatre Centre's South African season in the 2007 Play>Ground Performed Reading series continues on Sunday, October 14, with Myer Taub's Interrupting Henry, at 17:00, in the Baxter Sanlam Studio.

Matthew Wild directs an inimitable cast led by popular comedian Marc Lottering as the Headmaster with Guy de Lancey, Nicole Holm, Mark Elderkin and Jarrid Geduld.

This is Lottering's first serious role since 2000.

He agreed to tackle the role essentially for personal reasons. "Firstly," he says, "it is a wonderful opportunity for me to work with other actors and theatre-makers and, secondly, it feels great to be doing something which is outside the genre of comedy."

Edgy comedy

Interrupting Henry is an edgy comedy about a new drama teacher at Saints High School, Adrian Henry, played by Mark Elderkin.

He is determined to produce a school play that will change the lives of his students forever.

Unfortunately, not everyone recognises the merits of his unconventional methods, especially the school's garrulous Headmaster, and his stern, conservative Deputy (Guy de Lancey).

Only Elsa Brown (Nicole Holm), the school's new art teacher, shares Adrian's controversial vision of an unorthodox production of The Diary of Anne Frank - until one of Adrian's students (Jarrid Gedult) begins to identity with the play's heroine in a way he could not have foreseen.

This is writer Myer Taub's sixth play - all which now will have been performed locally.

'Reflection of society'

"The play is not about school itself. It is a reflection of society - about being different and standing out.

"It is essentially about striving towards and standing up for what you believe in. Invariably plays take different routes - this one is organic," says Taub.

He continues, "it was taken from my experiences as a school teacher. The play reveals some of the crises in the South African education system and having Mark play the Headmaster is a real coup. He is committed to the work and I am totally excited."

Next up in this South African season is Sister Breyani, written by Malika Ndlovu and directed by Lara Bye on Sunday October 21, also at 17:00.

The final two offerings are Original Skin written by Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, with direction and script development by Robert Colman on November 4 and The Black Psychiatrist written by Lewis Nkosi and directed by Paul Savage on November 11, both at 17:00.

With one performance only, seating is limited. Tickets are R30 and booking is through Computicket or the Baxter Theatre Centre.

- News24