Gianluca Gironi as Richard Loeb and John Conrad as Nathan Leopold in 'Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story'.
Image: Supplied
The theatre fraternity is mourning the loss of a giant this week. Athol Fugard, 91, passed away on March 9 after battling a long illness.
He leaves behind a rich tapestry of work, which has set the benchmark for writers and directors.
The Market Theatre issued a statement on the industry losing a titan whose voice and vision shaped the storytelling landscape on home soil and abroad.
It read: “Fugard’s unflinching commitment to truth, justice, and the act of witnessing through theatre resonated deeply within the Market Theatre’s walls, where his plays found a natural home and a passionate audience.
“His long list of remarkable works – ‘Boesman and Lena’, ‘Master Harold... and the Boys’, ‘The Road to Mecca’, ‘People are Living There’, ‘Hello & Goodbye’, ‘Nongogo’, among many others - confronted what it is to be human in an imperfect world and offered a study of unsurpassed relationships.
“His collaborative plays, with the likes of John Kani and Winston Ntshona, like ‘Sizwe Bansi is Dead’ and ‘The Island’ challenged injustice and held a mirror to our society that was recognised globally.
The late Athol Fuguard.
Image: Supplied
“As an artist, his words carried the weight of history and the depth of lived experience. As a playwright, his legacy continues to inspire generations of playwrights who strive to tell stories with courage and conviction.
“Our theatre and society would be a lesser space without him. His passing marks the end of a life lived so wholeheartedly for our theatre, and his influence will endure with every audience moved by the power of theatre.”
On that poignant note, here’s what you can look forward to in the next week.
THRILL ME: THE LEOPOLD AND LOEB STORY
Are you a whodunit fan? Well, Stephen Dolginoff’s internationally-acclaimed murder-musical, “Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story”, will give you the right kind of goosebumps at Montecasino.
Directed by Chris Weare, it stars Gianluca Gironi as Richard Loeb and John Conrad as Nathan Leopold. Jaco Griessel is the musical director. The premise centres on Nathan and Richard, notoriously known as the “thrill killers”, who murdered a young boy in 1924 Chicago.
Writer Stephen Dolginoff, who played Leopold in the original off-Broadway production, wrestled with trying to combine two elements into a compelling offering. One was to deliver a true-to-life crime thriller, and the other was to encapsulate the intense and unusual relationship shared between two individuals.
He happened upon the story of Leopold and Loeb amid his painstaking research to meet his objective.
What he crafted was an amalgamation of desires, twisted domination and sexual pleasure.
To date, the production has been staged 25 times, with South Africa being the 26th country to join the bandwagon.
Dolginoff said: “In other countries they sit in silence, totally intrigued and wrapped up in the story until the finale when they finally explode. That release is always very loud!"
Producer Pieter Toerien has had a fascination with Clarence Darrow (the lawyer who took on the task of defending the two convicted young men), hinting at a possible future production focusing on Darrow, the man.
Weare added: “Relationships can be murder, is not only a marketing line for the piece, but also a strong theme from the musical; and sharply encapsulates the power and the pressure of relationships that can sometimes lead to disastrous choices."
Where: Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre.
When: March 21 to April 13, 7.30pm.
Cost: Tickets range in price from R150 to R250 and are available from Webtickets. No under-16s allowed.
The cast from the delightful children's stage production, 'Seussical Jr'.
Image: Supplied
SEUSSICAL JR
On a more delightful note, “Seussical JR, is returning to the Peoples Theatre.
This popular classic, known for charming little ones and their parents, too, takes the audience on a whimsical journey where imagination is key to bringing the story to life.
It features the adventures of Horton the Elephant, Dr. Seuss, and The Cat in The Hat, among other treasured characters.
Director Jill Girard shared: “The books of Dr Seuss have been the stepping stones to reading for many children and introduced them to a wonderful range of characters and positive concepts. Now we bring them to life in front of their eyes and create theatre magic for them.”
The cast includes Grant Towers (Horton the Elephant), Katlego Nche (Cat In the Hat), Madelein Pienaar (Mayzie La Bird), Noluthando Mathebula (Gertrude McFuzz, Judge Yertle the Turtle), Raymond Skinner (Mr. Mayor, The Grinch) and Amelia Stephens (Mrs. Mayor, Sour Kanagroo)
Where: Peoples Theatre.
When: March 11 to April 21. Shows are at 9am and 11am from Tuesday to Friday and at 10.30am and 2.30pm on weekends and school holidays.
Cost: Ticket prices vary from R140 to R175 and can be purchased via Webtickets.