(David Muller)
David Muller as Oom Schalk Lourens is the
quintessential Afrikaner storyteller. (Review by Keith Millar)
Back at the Seabrooke's Theatre in Durban for a brief
season after his successful visit last year, is the charming and entertaining
storyteller, David Muller.
Adopting the persona of Herman Charles Bosman’s
inimitable raconteur, Oom Schalk Lourens, he shares five of the author’s memorable
and humorous stories about the colourful inhabitants of the Bushveld town of
Groot Marico and its surrounds.
Herman Charles Bosman, who died at the age of 46 in
1951, is widely regarded as one of South Africa’s greatest and most popular
short story writers. After graduating from University he served for a while as
a schoolteacher in Groot Marico. He was captivated and inspired by the area and
its people, and this led to the creation of his best-known short stories, the
Oom Schalk series.
These enduring stories have become South African
classics and they epitomise the “salt of the earth” South Africans who inhabit
the rural areas of the country.
David Muller as Oom Schalk Lourens is the
quintessential Afrikaner storyteller. The tales he relates capture the essence
and atmosphere of the Marico Bushveld and its people with wit, charm and great
warmth. His pace and timing is excellent and he keeps the audience transfixed
throughout his performance.
The first story is entitled the Music Maker. It is a rather satirical tale about Mannie Kruger, the
best concertina player in the Marico, who decides to seek fame on the international
stage. Next is The White Ant, a
whimsical story which suggests that the threat posed by these insects may be
even worse than it first appears.
Go Slow Strike is about
the effects a national Post Office strike has on Jurie Steyn, the Postmaster of
Groot Marico. The Love Potion is the
juice of the Juba-plant berry. Oom Schalk sets out to prove that it really
works.
The final offering is Willem Prinsloo’s Peach Brandy which is a hilarious story of
courtship and the over-consumption of alcohol. A nice touch to help set the
scene is when lucky audience members in the front row are treated to a taste of
the peach brandy.
The presentation of this production is kept simple.
The set consists of only a roughly-hewn yellowwood bench, while the only props
Muller uses are his pipe and a tin mug of coffee (or is it possibly peach
brandy?). This ensures that there are no distractions and the audience’s
attention is focused fully on Muller’s excellent story telling.
Oom Schalk from the
Heart 2 is astutely directed by Celia Musikanth.
After his performance, Muller engages the audience in
a casual conversation during which he gives away a copy of Herman Charles
Bosman’s stories.
Oom Schalk, From
the Heart 2 runs until September 19 at Seabrooke’s Theatre at DHS with
performances starting at 19h00. Advanced booking is strongly advised. Tickets
R100 booked through Clare McIlroy on 071 224 1046 or e-mail clare@webtickets.co.za - Keith Millar
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