Valencia Govindasamy
EXPLORING issues of racial stereotypes and the impact they have on everyday life is the production, What a Crack! which runs at the Catalina Theatre from August 27 to 30.
Drawing on personal experiences, the show’s creators conjure up a scenario in which disparate backgrounds unite in an explosive clash of cultures. The family four-hander is co-written by Courtney Smith and Warrick Frank who also direct the piece.
Smith explained how the concept for the production was born: “Towards the end of 2014, I got in contact with Warrick and pitched the idea of a variety show which I was planning on scripting. I had seen so many couples go through strange relationships of constantly fighting, yet being kept together by a strong love for each other. It was from these observations that the central characters of Wasseem and Latrice came about in an attempt to show the audience that through the storms, love prevails. But what would a show be without a mother-in-law and her zany psychologist thrown into the ‘Bhaja Mix’, as one of the characters describes it.”
The overall themes centre on stereotypes, love and respect, and nothing is as it appears. On his role in the play, Smith says: “I have two roles. One is being a stand-up comedian and the other is playing the quack psychologist, Dr Phutuma. I am equally excited about both, mainly because I’ve never done such things. I’ve always considered myself to be funny, well at least I hope I am. And I’ve always dreamt of making people laugh because I believe we have two options in life: we can cry or we can laugh, and I think we’ve all cried enough, so we need to laugh more. The role of Dr Phutuma is also exciting because I push the boundaries and go beyond my comfort zone. It’s a rather over-the-top character who just doesn’t seem normal. Many strange occurrences follow him and he is sure to bring out a few laughs on stage.”
The cast also features Leigh Kalidin, Melanie Kisten and Frank.
“The cast is a wonderful group of crackers. Warrick Frank has been amazing as his character and as director; Leigh Kalidin has had us in awe with her versatility and ability to pull off such a strong role; and Melanie Kisten has been a sweetheart. She’s fun, humorous and talented. Audiences can expect a lot of craziness and laughter. There are also lessons and values embedded in the lines allowing for everyone to take something away and hopefully not end up in the crazy situations that the cast depicts on stage,” he adds.
l What a Crack! runs at the Catalina Theatre from August 27 to 30. Tickets are R100 at Computicket