(Barbie
Meyer)
“It
does strange things to your mind, the Marico moon, and in your heart are wild
and fragrant fancies…” Herman Charles Bosman
Brace yourself for hilarious storytelling
and witty entertainment at the hands of the spirited, sassy, veldskoen-clad
Bosman teller of tales, Barbie Meyer.
Celebrate Women’s Day this August with this
one-woman comedic play entitled, Marico
Moon compiled and performed by Barbie Meyer and directed by Marke Meyer. It
will run from August 9 to 11 at Rhumbelow Tina’s in Kloof.
This is Barbie Meyer’s eagerly awaited
sixth show on one of South Africa’s finest literary masters: Herman Charles
Bosman.
Herman Charles Bosman (1905-1951) was a
South African writer and journalist who became famous for capturing the rhythms
of backveld Afrikaans speech even though he wrote in English. He is widely
regarded as the greatest short story writer to come out of this country. His
books are some of the finest in the field of South-African literature.
Whether you have read Bosman’s works or
not, Meyer’s compilation of his stories in Marico
Moon will no doubt delight and surprise you. It is challenging,
delightfully written and eminently entertaining.
Meyer has succeeded in mastering the
distinctive flat accent of the Groot Marico. Her use of pauses and impeccable
comedic timing are what sets her apart as a top storyteller – “despite being a
woman”, she laughs, “boy, have I heard that a number of times!”
Her unpretentious style, tangible passion
for these stories and love for this genre of storytelling simply oozes out of
her every pore when she is on the stage, pulling the audience right into the
veld with her. Meyer has been recognised as something of a Bosman fundi and has
performed her plays at many venues, festivals and intimate settings around the
country.
Jacques Sellschop, who for several years
was the presenter of the weekly Arts and Culture programme Galaxy on SABC Television had this to say about Barbie’s
performance: “Having greatly admired
Patrick Mynhardt’s iconic interpretations of the Bosman stories, I had
reservations about a female challenging the role. More especially so since the
lady in question was an attractive young blonde with a refined English accent
that would not raise a single eyebrow at the annual Windsor Castle garden
party.
“But
despite having neither the roughhewn exterior of Mynhardt’s character nor the
naturally coarse, serrated edges of his enunciation, Barbie Meyer kept her
audience enthralled with her sheer energy and consummate dramatic skill. The
piece she compiled was demanding in substance, yet she did not falter once in
delivering it. From the outset she revealed a range of facial expressions,
tonal varieties and gifts for gesture and mime that more than made up for the
absence of elaborate stage and costume props.
“Her
fine sense of dramatic pause and climax brought emphasis to the sly innuendo
and the irreverent humour that is the essence of the Bosman narrative.”
Marico
Moon runs from August 9 to 11 at Rhumbelow Tina’s
in Kloof with performances on August 9 and 10 at 20h00 and on August 11 at
14h00. (The theatre venue opens 60 minutes before show for drinks)
Tickets R150 (R130 pensioners) and tables
seat 8. (No alcohol or food may be brought on to the premises). Tickets are
cash or EFT only. Secure parking is available. Booking is through Computicket
or contact Roland (also for large group booking discounts of 20 or more) on 082
499 8636 or email: roland@stansell.za.net or visit
http://events.durbantheatre.com/
You are welcome to book for dinner or lunch
at Tina's Restaurant before the show: Call 031 764 7843 to book.
Tina’s Hotel is situated at 14 Beryldene
Road in Kloof.
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