Our humanity is best, and perhaps only, expressed when we do the unexpected, such as showing compassion to a stranger or, conversely, being unnecessarily cruel and malicious to a friend or family member.

London Road focuses on the former, revealing how a random act of kindness can enrich people’s lives beyond any expectation thereof.

Although this two-hander focuses on kindness and compassion and is therefore essentially a ‘feel-good’ play, it does not succumb to sentimentality and is not in the least saccharine, it is barely sweet.

That is not to say it has not a number of heart-tugging moments – the strings predominantly pulled by the brilliant Robyn Scott who plays the feisty octogenarian Jewish grandmother Rose – but one does not feel manipulated into an emotional reaction. The tears and laughter Scott and Ntombi Makhutshi harvest are pure, partly because it does not moralise and partly because it is firmly set within a recognisable reality. A reality determined not only by the physical location of London Road, Seapoint, but also by the emotional and circumstantial situation of the characters within it.

Widowed Rosa, whose children have both emigrated, was probably a member of the communist party back in the day and has spent much of her life volunteering at the union offices and generally trying to improve civic life.

Stella is a conscientious young Nigerian woman who makes her living selling party drugs to high-flying businesspeople while her cheating husband is back in Lagos.

We know there are women like Rosa and Stella living within metres of each other, not only in Seapoint, but in transitional neighbourhoods the world over. That circumstances bring these two women to forge a friendship is not unlikely, especially given Rosa’s penchant for sticking her nose into other people’s business in a helpful sort of way.

Nicholas Spagnoletti’s dialogue is effortlessly natural and Lara Bye’s direction provides transitions so smooth they are barely noticeable, not allowing the audience’s focus to slip for a moment.

Scott, a young woman, does an absolutely superb job. Not for a moment do we fail to perceive Rosa as a loveable, unsentimental octogenarian busybody. Simply due to the nature of the roles, Makhutshi’s star is ever-so slightly dimmer but there is no doubt her skill is equally responsible for the illuminating light this play casts on the rich possibilities human relationships hold.

The three Fleur du Cap’s and the Golden Ovation award this play has won are well deserved. Having debuted at the Kalk Bay theatre in March 2010 and now running at the Fugard Theatre for the second time, it is an example of South African theatre excellence. – Steve Kretzmann

 London Road plays at the Fugard Theatre Studio until December 17. Bookings are through Computicket or the box office on 021 461 4554.

http://westcapenews.com/?p=3423

Nicholas Spagnoletti’s ear for dialogue makes for a wonderfully accessible script and Lara Bye’s direction is flawless in its simplicity.  Together they’ve struck gold in bringing this award-winning spectacle to life.

London Road is, in essence, a very simple play spanning the course of several months in the lives of two female characters; the elderly Rosa (Robyn Scott) and the much younger Stella (Ntomboxolo Makhutshi). The two live in the same block of flats on London Road in Seapoint and, despite their very different personalities and histories, they share a common thread.

Rosa is a Jewish widow whose children have emigrated to Australia and Israel. She battles with memory loss and old age but keeps busy by being very involved in the lives of those around her. This is how she meets Stella, a young Nigerian woman who shares her dark sense of humour. Stella is strong, street smart and illegal in the country.

It’s easy to analyse the many messages and critiques but this play subverts the standard ‘critical’ notion. Instead of inviting the viewer to read into the narrative, the narrative allows you to read into yourself. And yet this ‘mirror’ is not a harsh one.  While the play makes many insightful commentaries on a number of personal and socio-economical subjects, the lightness of touch and the bubbling sense of humour are pervasive throughout.

The performances of the two first-class actresses are so convincing that we couldn’t believe that the elegant Robyn Scott was the same elderly woman when we saw her in the lobby of the Fugard after the performance.  On stage she embodies every inch, gesture and speech pattern of an aged soul and commands the audience with an exuberant flair of unashamed humour and fragility. Equally impressive was Makhutshi’s embodiment of the Nigerian Stella. She cracked the accent and had particular Nigerian habits such as lip-smacking down to a tee as well as a powerful composure which truly added to the realism.

This award-winning play is a perfect piece of theatre, and while its escapism is delightful, its message – to cherish those important to you – is loud and clear

Faheem abz Abrahams
London Road runs at the Fugard Theatre 22 November – 17 December 2011.

http://www.whatsonincapetown.co.za/post/review-london-road-at-the-fugard-studio/

Attention all KZNers – London Road comes to the Hilton Festival which runs from the 16-18th of September 2011.
Click here for more information:
http://www.hiltonfestival.co.za/theatre/265-london-road.html

The 2011 National Arts Festival saw a 7.45% increase in overall attendance, with 200 771 attendees at the various events on offer in Grahamstown.

This breaks the 200 000 barrier for the first time. This continues the trend of growth over the last seven years:

TOTAL ATTENDANCE (% change on previous year)
2004 131 900
2005 139 100 (+5.18%)
2006 140 960 (+1.32%)
2007 143 403 (+1.70%)
2008 147 574 (+2.83%)
2009 170 045 (+13.21%)
2010 185 805 (+8.48%)
2011 200 771 (+7.45%)

“The growth is particularly pleasing given that, in 2010, we had an extended Festival and this year we have been able to show an increase even though we spanned four fewer days,” Festival CEO Tony Lankester said.

The growth was driven largely by strong sales for the Festival’s Main and Arena programmes, which reported a healthy number of sold out performances this year – including Angel Heart and Fourteen, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Cape Town City Ballet and the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra’s presentation of Swan Lake, The History Boys, Sadako, Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Music Ben Schoeman’s two recitals, Lloyd Webber and Friends, Lara Bye’s ‘night Mother starring Sandra Prinsloo, and Auriol Hays’ concert.

“The high demand for tickets spanned a range of genres, including music, theatre and dance, demonstrating that the Festival is still seen as a playground for the artistically curious and for audiences who seek out quality performances, regardless of genre,” Lankester said.

The Fringe programme also featured its own share of box-office success stories. London Road, building on its premiere at the 2010 Festival where it was awarded the Standard Bank Gold Ovation Award for Theatre, was the overall highest grossing production on the Fringe. The next instalment of the perennial ‘Raiders’ franchise, Rocket Raiders, ending up as the biggest grossing Comedy production and ranking second overall.

Boo! frontman Chris Chameleon’s solo performances, which were awarded the Standard Bank Gold Ovation Award for Music this year, were both sold out, while Festival stalwarts Tony Cox and Steve Newman’s production Return of the Road Warriors was the biggest grossing music show at the Festival.

“Comedy is still the mainstay of the Fringe programme, accounting for 17 of the top 25 grossing productions,” Lankester said. “However we’re seeing music and theatre doing well too, particularly those productions which were awarded Standard Bank Ovation Awards this year and last.”

“The Fringe has shown that it contains many gems which create buzz on the streets of Grahamstown, and Fringe artists are enjoying the success of their hard work and marketing efforts,” Lankester said.

Lankester noted that the growth in attendance would have been even greater had there not been a decline in the number of complimentary tickets issued at the event this year.

“The number of free tickets issued by Fringe artists dropped by about 20%. On the one hand this does negatively affect our overall statistics, but it shows that artists and audiences are beginning to place a value on their work and, rightfully, expect tickets to be bought rather than handed out for free, which is encouraging,” he said.

Lankester made the same point from the floor at the ‘Funding of the Arts’ panel discussion at this year’s Festival, where he implored government, artists and business to protect the integrity and value of the work of artists by launching a campaign to reduce the culture of audiences demanding free tickets. “If artists are expected to work for free then it becomes harder for them to claim a place in society as valuable contributors to the overall economy. If a ticket is perceived as having a zero rand value then that sends a strong message about the value that the ticket holder places on the work they are watching, and it shows a distinct lack of respect for the work of artists,” he said.

The next National Arts Festival will be held from 28 June – 8 July 2012.

The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Sunday Independent and M Net.

About the National Arts Festival: The National Arts Festival, now in its 38th year, has proved its sustainability and has grown to be one of the leading arts festivals in southern Africa. Its objectives are to deliver excellence; encourage innovation and development in the arts by providing a platform for both established and emerging South African artists; create opportunities for collaboration with international artists; and build new audiences.

Artslink.co.za Account:
Gilly Hemphill
The Famous Idea Trading Co.
gilly@thefamousidea.co.za
021 880 0889
082 820 8584
National Arts Festival

With just less than one week still to go until the start of the National Arts Festival, more than 1 000 tickets have already been sold for London Road.

This Standard Bank Golden Ovation Award winner, and triple Fleur du Cap recipient, has been captivating critics and audiences alike since it premiered in March last year.

Presented by KBT Productions, London Road will be performed at St Andrew’s Hall from 30 June to 5 July and from 8 to 10 July.

“The team has been both delighted and overwhelmed by the advance demand for tickets,” says Simon Cooper of KBT Productions. “A number of performances are already virtually sold out and tickets are moving steadily on a daily basis.”

Directed by multiple-award winning Lara Bye and featuring Fleur du Cap winners Robyn Scott and Ntombi Makhutshi, London Road tells a tender, funny story about an unlikely friendship between two women from diverse backgrounds whose lives collide in a Seapoint apartment block. They take comfort in finding that common themes unite them and discover the healing power of friendship.

Writer Nicholas Spagnoletti won a Fleur du Cap award for Best New SA Script and the stellar creative team includes acclaimed performer, designer and puppeteer, Craig Leo for design, Faheem Bardien for lighting design and original sound by Braam Du Toit.

The press have hailed the show as “….simply brilliant… radiates beauty and empathy” (Sunday Independent); “…. a warm, witty and wise drama” (Business Day) and “…one of the Festival’s must-sees” (Cue).

“There are universal themes in London Road that resonate with all us – fragmented families, fear of being alone or getting older and the joy in finding true friendship,” says Cooper. “Combined with the powerhouse performances, Lara’s poignant direction and the acutely observed script, London Road is a hot ticket!”

London Road will be performed at St Andrew’s Hall on 30 June at 13h30; 1 July at 15h30; 2 July at 10h00; 3 July at 13h30 and 17h30; 4 July at 16h30; 5 July at 22h00; 8 July at 10h00 and 14h00; 9 July at 12h30 and 10 July at 12h00.

Tickets cost R70, R75 or R85. Tickets to the show on 10 July cost only R43.
PG Language

*For a taste of the production, see www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X9LPv2YWxc
Bookings can be made at Computicket

Production information:
Production: London Road, presented by KBT Productions
Written by: Nicholas Spagnoletti
Directed by: Lara Bye
Cast: Robyn Scott and Ntomboxolo Makhutshi
Set, props and costume design by Craig Leo and Lara Bye
Lighting Design by Faheem Bardien
Original Sound by Braam Du Toit
Original Set Concept: Lara Bye
Venue: St Andrew’s Hall
Dates: 30 June – 5 July and 8 – 10 July
PG Language

Following rave reviews, numerous awards and sold-out houses around the country, the runaway smash hit London Road returns to Grahamstown.

Presented by KBT Productions, it will be performed at the National Arts Festival at St Andrew’s Hall from 30 June to 5 July and from 8 to 10 July.

Lara Bye’s production features the power-house duo of Robyn Scott and Ntombi Makhutshi in Nicholas Spagnoletti’s tender, funny and poignant story about two women from diverse backgrounds whose lives collide in a Seapoint apartment block.

Winner of the Standard Bank Golden Ovation award for Theatre at the National Arts Festival last year, the show has garnered three Fleur du Cap awards (Best Performance by an actress for Robyn Scott, Best Supporting Actress for Ntombi Makhutshi and Best New SA Script for Nicholas Spagnoletti, making it the most nominated production this year) and was also nominated for two Kanna awards – Best Director for Lara Bye and Best Female Artist for Robyn Scott.

London Road has received universal praise from critics, including “one of the Festival’s must-sees….”(Cue); “Memorable, mesmerising, magnificent” (Citizen) and “…feels like a little miracle.” (The Next 48 Hours).

”London Road is a simple and intimate reflection on growing old, loneliness, fragmented families and the healing power of a friendship,” says director Lara Bye.

On the surface, Stella and Rosa Kaplowitz have nothing in common. Stella is a young Nigerian woman. Long distant family, dodgy gangsters and a sense of survival makes her very mistrusting of the gestures of strangers. Rosa is an elderly Jewish widow living in a flat on the fifth floor. Her children and grandchildren live in Australia and Israel so she keeps herself occupied by becoming very involved in the business of her neighbourhood. These two women find themselves stranded together and take comfort in finding that common themes unite them.

London Road is written by seasoned TheatreSports performer and Cape Town writer, Nicholas Spagnoletti who won the Audience Choice award at the PANSA new South African Playwriting competition in 2007 for his original script. The production has been further developed for the stage through improvisations in rehearsals and based on extensive research by director Lara Bye and her actresses.

Bye continues her exploration of the theatre of suggestion. With London Road she brings her trademark attention to detail, intelligent sophistication, unique theatre style and staging to the production. Other recent projects have included directing The Flying Dutchman at the Suidoosterfees and ‘night, Mother for this year’s Main Programme at the National Arts Festival, again working with London Road designer Craig Leo and lighting designer Faheem Bardien and featuring Sandra Prinsloo and Antoinette Louw.

Original sound for London Road is by Braam Du Toit.

London Road will be performed at St Andrew’s Hall on 30 June at 13h30; 1 July at 15h30; 2 July at 10h00; 3 July at 13h30 and 17h30; 4 July at 16h30; 5 July at 22h00; 8 July at 10h00 and 14h00; 9 July at 12h30 and 10 July at 12h00.

Tickets cost R70, R75 or R85. Tickets to the show on 10 July cost only R43.

PG 13 Language

* For a taste of the production, see www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X9LPv2YWxc or visit www.londonroad.co.za

Bookings can be made at Computicket

* Look out for Producers Simon and Helen Cooper who will present as part of the Hands On! Masks Off! Programme. Writing about the Fleur du Cap awards this year, Artslink.co.za commented, “With the number of times Simon Cooper’s name was mentioned in grateful thanks, it’s clear even from this just one event, that his contribution to the local theatre scene – in many aspects – is both a positive and necessary one. It is of significance that the body of work being produced and presented in his Kalk Bay Theatre, or under the banner of his KBT Productions, is of such quality not only to sustain the off-the-beaten track Theatre itself, but also to make work of a standard which gets the tongues of the country wagging.”

What the press have said about London Road:

“Memorable, mesmerising, magnificent” Citizen

“a treasure…. a warm, witty and wise drama” Business Day

“…sterling performances….. one of the Festival’s must-sees….It’s a small story with a huge heart and is one of those Festival moments that won’t leave your head when you leave this city.” Cue 2010

“a very special piece of theatre” thedailymaverick.co.za

“…feels like a little miracle.” The Next 48 Hours;

“….simply brilliant… radiates beauty and empathy.” Sunday Independent;

“The humour is gentle, the drama and pathos understated … brought to life by two formidable stage talents …” Sunday Times;

“A beautifully written script performed magnificently by two very talented women and directed with such beautiful eloquence. This play raises the bar on new South African writing for theatre.” Ismail Mahomed, National Arts Festival Director

“…awash with lingering powerful images.” Cape Times

“Go to London Road. It’s worth the journey.” Cape Argus

“Die 36-jarige Scott in die rol van die bejaarde Rosa Kaplowitz is verbysterend… Makhutshi is pragtig en het ‘n sterk teenwoordigheid op die verhoog.” Die Burger

“…..Spagnoletti has both a good ear for dialogue and a camp sense of humour…This is indeed promising new work.” Mail and Guardian

“…… an absolute master class in movement and breath….” www.writingstudio.co.za

“I cannot think of a single reason why anyone in Cape Town shouldn’t see this play.” www.meganshead.co.za

“London Road is quite simply not to be missed.” www.yoursoapbox.co.za

“…the visual prompts are so effective one hardly needs imagination….” Artslink.co.za

“London Road is a compassionate vignette with many laugh-out-loud moments and well worth an evening out.” False Bay Echo

“……London Road will definitely leave you with a warm appreciation for one’s friendships and the joys of sharing.” www.bizcommunity.com

Production information:
Production: London Road, presented by KBT Productions
Written by: Nicholas Spagnoletti
Directed by: Lara Bye
Cast: Robyn Scott and Ntomboxolo Makhutshi
Set, props and costume design by Craig Leo and Lara Bye
Lighting Design by Faheem Bardien
Original Sound by Braam Du Toit
Original Set Concept: Lara Bye
Venue: St Andrew’s Hall
Dates: 30 June – 5 July and 8 – 10 July
PG Language

SHOW: London Road – Robyn Scott walks onto the stage as the aged Jewish grandmother Rosa (pearls, cardigan and all) and without saying a word has the audience in stitches.
CAST: Robyn Scott and Ntomboxolo Makhutshi
DIRECTOR: Lara Bye
VENUE: Old Mutual Theatre on the Square, until March 19

Everything about her performance is perfection – from the tight clutching of her purse to  her comical facial expressions,  her undulating voice which repeats words rapidly in succession and the way her body twitches involuntarily.

Equally spectacular is Rosa’s new friend and neighbour Stella (played by Ntomboxolo Makhutshi), who Rosa eventually figures out is a Nigerian drug dealer.

Written by Nicholas Spagnoletti, London Road is a play  inspired by the Jewish and Nigerian stereotypes that propagate the promenades of Sea Point in Cape Town.

Only the characters that Spagnoletti presents through  endearing vignettes are much more than stereotypes – they are both delightfully flawed and funny in their own right and they both find an unlikely (but lasting) friendship in one another.

A table,  two chairs, the odd tipple from a glass bottle and the frequent cup of tea are the only props on stage, yet  the fullness of Scott and Makhutshi’s performances  make the sparse stage setting  irrelevant.

London Road  hits home because it has a tendency to take the audience member down their own path of self-reflection about family, friendship, loss and death.

There are some very poignant and sad moments, but tying these together are a series of absolutely hilarious moments, from Stella revealing the sordid details of her dodgy clients to rude card games and  enjoying the “simple and fantastic joys of people watching” with Rosa’s invasive binoculars.

Subtle dialogue, loaded with meaning and emotion, has half the audience in tears at  the end.

No wonder then that both Scott and Makhutshi have been nominated for Fleur du Cap Awards in Cape Town for their performances.

This marvellous combination of an excellent script and great direction by Lara Bye is not to be missed. – Natalie Bosman

http://www.citizen.co.za/citizen/content/en/citizen/lifestyle-features?oid=176125&sn=Detail&pid=40&Memorable–mesmerising–magnificent

“London Road” by Nicholas Spagnoletti is a simple story of two ladies interacting in their block of flats in Sea Point. It’s a run-down area where Rosa (Robyn Scott) represents the old-guard Jewish contingent and Stella (Ntomboxolo Makhutshi) is an illegal Nigerian immigrant.

How their lives come together is shown through a series of vignettes played out against the appropriately plain stage set of a table and two chairs.

What makes it remarkable is the astonishing way Scott – who turns out to be quite young – transforms herself into the ageing, abandoned, but undefeated Rosa. She’s an amazing actress, giving us a saggy-jawed, slack mouthed, frizzy-haired pensioner who ages visibly as time moves on. Scott makes Rosa feisty and opinionated, makes “Australia” sound like a swear word, annoys you with a grating accent, but still makes you want to reach out and hug her.

She’s utterly mesmerizing, and the script hands her some wonderful one-liners. Rosa’s children have emigrated, her husband has died, and she’s all alone, passing the time by spying on the neighbours and occasionally pulling her once-powerful social strings to help anyone she can. Yet she tells wicked tales of her glory days, and still puts the fear of god into unscrupulous slumlords.

It’s a script full of poignancy softened and spared from sentimentality by rich and perfectly timed humour. You don’t feel sorry for Rosa as her breath and her energy slip away, you feel admiration for a character that many people in the audience either recognise or could become.

Spagnoletti has written a very real story, and it’s been enhanced considerably by the actresses and director Lara Bye who brought their own experiences and insights to the script. Bye has brought it together beautifully so everything flows perfectly as the scenes, times and moods evolve.

Rosa brings the wisdom of age into the troubled and tough life of Stella, and Stella responds by opening up to this little old lady who most would shove out of the way as a meddlesome busybody.

Makhutshi maintains a convincing lilting accent and that air of reserved independence that comes from being on the sidelines of society. She too is a formidable presence, but there’s no way she’s going to shine against the brilliant luminosity of Scott.

Now go, book some tickets – and call your mother.

- Lesley Stones

http://www.thedailymaverick.co.za/article/2011-02-25-london-road-where-disparate-yet-alluring-characters-meet