Tezza's Theatre Place

Dawid Minnar Janine Ulfane – Photograher credit Alixandra Fazzina. “Survival of the fittest” is a phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection. Which means that even in the most inhospitable of placers, life will find a way – even if at times, you may look and think what’s the point? For example, in South Africa, the aloe plant is considered one of the country’s most powerful, beautiful and celebratory symbols. It survives out in the wild when everything else is dried. At the end of everything, the aloe is still there. And it is this survival that is at the heart of Athol Fugard’s  A Lesson From Aloes  which has returned to the UK and is currently in residence at the Finborough Theatre. Set in South Africa in 1963, where apartheid is at its height and the citizens are living in a paranoid police state. The play revolves around a middle-aged left-leaning couple – Afrikaner Piet Bezuidenhout (Dawid Minnaa...

http://www.carnstheatrepassion.com/south-afreakins/ In most patriarchal societies, it is taken as fact that the men rule the proverbial roost. Of course, the truth is totally different. The reality is that in most heterosexual couples, whilst the main believes he holds the power, the woman knows that she does. For example, when a chap retires, he may think he is going to potter about, a bit of gardening, some golf, a few jars with his mates. But many a wife will have made plans for his retirement well in advance of the day it actually happens. If you don’t believe me, then go check out Robyn Paterson’s one woman show  The South Afreakins  at the Vault Festival. Gordon and Helene are having a problem. All the lights in their house seem to have gone off at once. Helene is agitated whilst Gordon seems quite calm and in control. Eventually, they manage to get some illumination working and the two of them settle down. Gordon to read his paper and enjoy his first day of retirem...