HOUSE OF NUTS

(Warrick Frank, Maeshni Naicker & Melanie Kisten.

In front: Desiree Kisten & Ruben Naidoo)

There is little doubt that veteran theatre practitione, Dr Satchu Annamalai has crafted a witty piece of theatre aptly titled, House of Nuts.

Annamalai claims that the play is first and foremost about human personalities, that even in the comedy the frailty of human nature is revealed. Five very different people are forced to negotiate around each other with hilarious results. Whilst a strong main plot is bound to keep audiences riveted, clever sub-plots are carefully intertwined to provide the comic relief.

The drama is set in the household of Harry Venketsamy, a fun loving 55 year-old, who has just taken early retirement and is set to live out the rest of his life travelling and making merry. Thrown into the mix, is Harry’s sister-in-law, Selvie, a bitter and envious individual who cannot stand to see Harry carving out the perfect life for himself and her sister.  She inevitably has to put a ‘spoke in the wheel’.

Blackmail, murder threats, kidnapping, etc. become the order of the day. In the end, everyone looks guilty for at least one misdemeanour; victims become the accused, witnesses look suspect and the evidence brought forth is mostly invalid. Even the police are befuddled about whom to charge, and in the end commit a misdemeanour themselves, when they charge the innocent. Both, in terms of social commentary and entertainment value, the show is packaged to appeal to a wide range of audiences.

House of Nuts boasts a star-studded cast with the likes of Ruben Naidoo who hails from a strong theatre background, having worked the circuit over a number of years. His latest contribution, Bitter-Sweet was a compelling story of the arrival of Indians in South Africa. 

Maeshni Naicker requires little introduction to Durban audiences. Her most notable appearance was in the much publicised local screen production, Broken Promises.

Melanie Kisten is well-known in the dance fraternity especially for the highly rated KambakhtIshq musical dramas she produces annually. Her dance school, MKDA (Melanie Kisten Dance Academy), is well-supported in the community and provides an ideal environment for creative expression. 

Melanie’s sister, Desiree Kisten, a professional dancer and choreographer is guaranteed to provide a high energy performance in the House of Nuts.

Warrick Frank recently put in a sterling performance in Stablexpense, a play by the late Kessie Govender and directed by Caroline Smart.  Warrick is presently playing the role of Rajiv in the television drama series, Snake Park on SABC 2. 

House of Nuts opens at the iZulu Theatre, Sibaya, on July 25 and 26, thereafter embarking on a nation-wide tour. Tickets R100 available at Computicket. For further information, call 083 289 0548 or 082 632 6388.