Actor Kiroshan Naidoo forms part of the cast of a new version of Athol Fugard’s classic work, People Are Living There, a poignant tale of frustration and loneliness, presented by the Hungry Minds Theatre Production Team. KAREN RUTTER found out more.
Tell us a bit about your acting career to date?
My performance debut was on the kids television show KTV in 2008. I worked there until it sadly closed in 2011. That was a great opportunity as it gave me a taste of what this industry was like. That is when I fell in love with performing. I performed in numerous school plays at that time, nothing professional.
I then decided to do a BA in Theatre and Performance at UCT, which was hard at first but I believe has equipped me with great skills to take on this world of acting and performing. My goal is to be able to make a living through acting. I love finding new characters within myself, and I thrive on the opportunities to play them. Another great love of mine is drawing, I would like to explore my fine art side a bit more this coming year.
What made you decide to tackle People Are Living There?
The initial reading of the script with the directors, Blythe Linger and Kathleen Stevens, drew me in. I remember after reading the script thinking, this is a play I have to do. I fell in love with the character of Don. At that stage I hadn’t performed an Athol Fugard, so it seemed like a great opportunity. I was also very excited about the adaptation, it is a piece I had to be a part of.
It must have been quite daunting – many famous South Actors have performed the piece over the years?
It was most definitely daunting, especially since Fugard himself played the role. However, with the support of a great cast and great directors, all our concerns about the magnitude of this play was put to rest.
Who is in the cast?
Milly is played by Imke du Toit, Don by myself, Shorty by Almar Muller, and Sissy, previously played by Danielle Botha, but for this run Clarissa Roodt.
We believe you have adapted the work (with permission) – why did you do this, and how did you do this?
This is what director Blythe Linger told me: “I first fell in love with this piece of text when I did set and lighting design for it at the Masque Theatre a few years back. Every night I sat in the lighting box and while a realistic life story took place on stage I sat and watched, holding onto every word that the character Milly spoke. I saw something far different in the characters, themes and text! At the same time every night there were a number of audience members who walked out of the theatre commenting on how bored they were – sometimes it seemed they didn’t understand the story. I couldn’t understand it as I was so intrigued by the text every single night. That is when I decided that I wanted to put my vision of the text on stage and draw on the character of Milly more than the other characters. Every night I after the show I sat asking myself... Did that really happen to Milly? This is one of the very questions which drives the idea of this adaptation.”
Do you feel the piece still has much relevance/resonance in South Africa today, even though it was written in 1968?
Without giving too much away, I believe this adaptation is extremely relevant in South Africa in 2015. The themes we chose to highlight are themes many South Africans can identify with. Isolation, the loss of time, loss of love and most notably the effects of these on your mental health.
Did you first perform it at the National Arts Festival this year? Tell us how that went, and about further performances.
We performed this play at the Aandebraak Theatre in Stellenbosch as a preview before the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. After that show we went back to the drawing board where we looked at ways to make the story more clear and accessible, not only to the avid theatre-goer, but the general public as well. We then took the piece to Grahamstown.
This was the first time any of the cast had performed in Grahamstown. Which was a great experience, it taught me so much as a young performer.
Many people in the audience were touched by the performance, it moved them.
The audience we spoke to, felt the pain Milly was experiencing. As an actor, to know that an audience connected with the piece means I did my job.
On our return to Cape Town we got invited by Assitej to showcase our play for The Naledi Theatre Awards for Youth. We then got invited to the Cape Town Fringe Festival which was lovely, the audiences were really engaged. And most recently we are doing a run at the Galloway theatre.
Tell us more about the Hungry Minds Theatre Production Team – who are you, and what do you do?
The Hungry Minds Theatre Production Team was created by a group of individuals who share a passion for theatre and its place in society. We believe that theatre and performance is one of the most powerful tools we have, which we can use to bring about change, and to unite in love and understanding as the human race.
Theatre is for anyone and everyone!
l People Are Living There will be at the Galloway Theatre next to the V&A Waterfront from October 20 – Oct 31. Book: 082 772 8867.