(Above: Marion Loudon & Cara Roberts )
(“The Bamboozled
Break-in” is a fast-paced, light-hearted caper of sheer, rollicking fun Review
by Shannon Kenny)
The Bamboozled Break-in - The Seabrookes Theatre, DHS: Friday October 30 - Saturday October 31, 2026. - The Seabrookes Theatre, DHS:
Two strangers meet at the site of a burglary - the house they both intend to burgle.
Sophisticated and notoriously elusive Vivian (Marion Loudon) is there for items of great worth, while small-time crook, Zanie (Cara Roberts), is working “the kitchen department” for fence, Dougie, in hopes of a promotion to cellphones.
The audience is swept along in a high-energy comedy filled with all the chaos and mirth that accompanies the collision of two worlds, two very different personalities, two sets of plans - and Alexa. There are flared tempers and fights; flights of fancy and commiseration - and all the while we get to love and root for our burglars as they reveal their dreams, aspirations and what it means to really get even.
This quirky two-hander is based on Jacolien Lüneburg's Dubbeldief. The play is translated from the Afrikaans and adapted by first-time director, Ilana van den Berg, and produced by AfriArtsConnect.
The set is a decidedly less-than-tastefully-decorated room, replete with gold-trimmed, purple velour curtain; dodgy art; a couch that sees a lot of action, and Alexa (every home needs one) - in the opulent abode of fabulously wealthy Jordan Jacobs, our protagonists’ intended victim.
The incidental music is wonderfully tongue-in cheek and the sound-scape includes news inserts (voiced by Bryan Hiles) and telephone messages delivered by Alexa.
Stars of the show, Loudon and Roberts, fill their roles and maintain a peppy pace, delivering effervescent performances throughout the 80-minute show. Kudos to their focus and meeting the demands of roles that are both physical and emotionally nuanced.
Along with hilarious, rapid-fire lines, some delightful moments include Zanie’s reverie in a Top Billing-worthy celebrity wedding and the best ever “Dear John” letters, that had the teenager in stitches. We laughed. A. Lot.
As a first outing, Ilana van den Berg and AfriArtsConnect deserve every plaudit for this project - and especially for highlighting just how an art project is more than just “the feels” - it is collaboration, it is sustainability in action, it is livelihoods - and it stays with us long after we’ve left the art space.
The Bamboozled Break-in is a fast-paced, light-hearted caper of sheer, rollicking fun! May it see many more performances in the future. – Shannon Kenny
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