Black comedy deals with young adults’ issues

The cast of N is vir Neurose.

The cast of N is vir Neurose.

Published May 22, 2012

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This week the Woordfees top sellers take to the stage at the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio with five Afrikaans productions which sold out at the Woordfees in Stellenbosch earlier this year. The season is called Fees van die Uitverkooptes.

An up-and-coming new production is N is vir Neurose, written and directed by Christiaan Olwagen. This black comedy deals with young adults’ issues about work, marriage, having children and finding love – all before the age of 30.

Fleur du Cap winner Hannah Borthwick (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Janneman, Antony and Cleopatra and the coming film Verraaiers) stars as Shani, a friend of Liz, a bride-to-be experiencing the neurotic tendencies of 25-year-olds.

“It’s an illustration of the pains of a 25-year-old. The crisis of having to enter the adult world, that transitional period,” says Borthwick, who can also be seen in Janneman currently being staged at Artscape Theatre. She says a few brainstorming sessions about their age’s perils sparked this humorous product.

A 25-year-old herself, Borthwick says the feelings are that of “something you can’t put your finger on, it’s a lost feeling, kind of a downer, a restlessness. I’m still trying to get the hang of it. I ask myself: ‘Is this it? Must I settle, must I get married?’ “

Currently doing her Master’s at the Stellenbosch University, Borthwick says it was only in her second year of studies that she realised her love of acting. “I wasn’t one of those who always wanted to do acting. It was after being thrust into roles and productions at university and being cast in the lead role of Sally Bowles in Marthinus Basson’s Cabaret in 2010. I had to sing, dance and act and had to make it work whether I wanted to or not.”

The cast, comprising Fleur du Cap nominee Wessel Pretorius, Roeline Daneel and Mariechen Vosloo, are like a family, sharing in the passion which helped form their theatre collective, Polony.

“We create Polony theatre. We make theatre we would like to see and also like to attract a younger generation of theatregoers,” says Borthwick.

* The Fees van die Uitverkooptes season of Afrikaans productions from Woordfees also takes place at the Klein Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch until June 28. Ticket prices range from R60 to R120 and booking is through Computicket.

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