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THEATRE: The Promise, On Stage at The Star Theatre and The Market Theatre
The Promise by Damon Galgut has been adapted into a stage production.
The novel was awarded the prestigious Booker Prize in 2021, the third time a South African writer has been given the award.
READ MORE | Observing Galgut: The blessing and curse of a Booker Prize winner
The Promise, On Stage, is on show from 16 September to 6 October at The Star Theatre at the Homecoming Center in Cape Town. The production will then go to The Market Theatre in Johannesburg on The John Kani stage from 18 October to 5 November.
The play synopsis reads:
The play is directed by Sylvaine Strike and stars Rob van Vuuren as Anton Swart; Kate Normington as Rachel Swart; Frank Opperman as Manie Swart; Chuma Sopotela as Salome; Cintaine Schutte as Tannie Marina; Jenny Stead as Astrid Swart; Albert Pretorius as Dominee Simmers; Sanda Shandu as Lukas and Jane de Wet as Amor Swart.
The sound design and original music are done by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder; the set and lighting design by Josh Lindberg; costume design by Penny Simpson and the choreography by Natalie Fisher.
Rob Van Vuuren called the experience of immersing himself into the role of Anton Swart, "Gruelling. Cathartic. Liberating."
Van Vuuren tells News24 more about his role in the play.
What attracted you to this role?
I loved the novel and knew it would be incredible source material to work from. Getting an opportunity to play a character as complex as Anton is any actor's dream. Having Damon in the room as we grappled with the theatre-making aspects of his text was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and getting to work under the brilliant guidance of my favourite director, Sylvaine Strike, made it a no-brainer for me.
Can you tell us about your character and how you connect to him?
So much of the timeline of the novel and play resonates with me growing up in South Africa when I did. Anton, like myself, grew up as a white boy sheltered by Apartheid who grew into an opinionated young man in opposition to the status quo. As a teenager, I was terrified of the possibility of having to serve in the national defence force of a system of mass oppression that I had grown to hate. I was lucky enough to narrowly miss out on conscription, while Anton's experience in the army sets his life on an irrevocably tragic trajectory. As a character, he is beautifully written, with all his flaws and failings laid bare beside his potential and promise. There was enough I could recognise in Anton to feel a connection and enough scope of emotional range in the character's journey to really excite me as an actor.
What did you think of Damon Galgut's The Promise? What was your reaction to it?
I found it to be deeply moving and darkly hilarious. I hope the play does the same.
What were the main differences between the play and the book?
Obviously, the biggest challenge is condensing the vast scope of the novel's narrative into a suitable length for a stage show. Sylvaine's vision to employ a bold physical style with a tight choral ensemble has been an inspired choice and I really think it has captured the spirit of the novel and this pervasive feeling of characters (and actors) being buffeted and bullied by the irresistible and inevitable force of the narrative. Another challenge we relished as theatre makers was the way in which the deeply moving pathos of the novel sits seamlessly side by side with a macabre comedic sensibility and we can't wait to share it with our audience.
What do you think audiences will resonate with in the play?
The play, like the novel, works on so many levels. It is a layered and complex immersion into a very specific time period in South Africa and a particular cast of characters whose lives are steered by their historical context. Beyond that, it is a moving exploration of what it means to be human in the face of societal forces beyond our individual control.
What moments have really stood out to you while rehearsing the play?
The cast on this production is phenomenal and it has been a massive privilege to work among such exceptional talent. To share the stage with legends like Frank Opperman and Kate Normington has been a dream come true. I am also overjoyed to once again be working with some of my all-time favourite actors, Albert Pretorius, Chuma Sopotela and Jenny Stead. It's my first time working with the insanely talented Cintaine Schutte, Sanda Shandu and Jane de Wet and it won't be the last. Each one of these incredible actors has brought so much to this process and under the guidance of Sylvaine Strike's inimitable direction, we have developed into a world-class ensemble that I am immensely proud to be a member of.
Show information:
The Promise, On Stage, is in theatres from 16 September to 6 October at The Star Theatre at the Homecoming Center in Cape Town.
The production will then go to The Market Theatre on The John Kani stage from 18 October to 5 November.
Performances start from 20:00 during weekdays and 15:00 over weekends.
Tickets range from R200 - R300 and are available through Webtickets.
