In Grant and Shaun: A Double Bill of Dance, Cape Town artists Grant van Ster and Shaun Oelf, take to the Baxter’s Flipside stage from 9 to 18 April, to perform a brand new work Most Honest Man and their critically acclaimed The Architecture of Tears.
With the premier of Most Honest Man, UCT graduates Mdu Kweyama and Alex McCarthy make their debut as artists-in-residence at the Baxter Theatre Centre for 2015, made possible by the Rolf-Stephan Nussbaum Foundation.
For the production the two theatre-makers are supervised by the Baxter’s CEO and artistic director Lara Foot. Resident director Kweyama heads the production as director and choreographer, with dramaturgy and assistant direction by resident playwright McCarthy.
Based on Shakespeare’s Othello, Most Honest Man looks at the relationship between Othello (performed by Grant) and Iago (performed by Shaun), exploring the notions of sexual jealousy and its power to destroy. Through movement the relationship between the two characters is interrogation as they delve into issues such as trust, virtue, amorality, projection and isolation.
Grant and Shaun have fast become two of South Africa’s rising young dance talents, making a name for themselves and their company, Figure of Eight Dance Collective (FO8), which they established in 2014. The company recently performed at the Fleur du Cap awards, choreographed by Grant.
Last year they teamed up with dancer-musician Thabisa Dinga and choreographer-director Ananda Fuchs to create The Architecture of Tears, an exploration into the human responses to attraction beyond gender and social correctness. It has been performed to great acclaim at the 2014 Cape Town Fringe and Baxter Dance Festival and most recently at the 2015 Dance Umbrella in Johannesburg. For this season at the Baxter, Ciara Barron will perform the female role from 9 to 14 April, followed by Thabisa Dinga from 15 to 18 April.
Blogger Sarah Robertson gushed, “Wow … I haven’t watched such exquisite dancers in … too long. Grant Van Ster and Shaun Oelf of FO8, along with Thabisa Dinga are masterful movers. Ananda Fuch’s challenging choreography makes for an excellent dance work. Skilful is an understatement.”
Whatsonincapetown said, “The movement of the trio of dancers is articulate, fluid and continuous” and Broadwaybaby.com agreed, saying ‘brilliantly choreographed and danced with all the ease and aplomb and daring and precision one could wish for.” The Cape Times described it as “Performed with incredible tenderness and dexterity … this is another brave, boundary-pushing work by their Figure of Eight Dance Collective,” and Litnet called it “A phenomenal production by phenomenal artists.”
This exciting double bill of Most Honest Man and The Architecture of Tears will showcase their talents and further expand their repertoire which they have managed to build up in a short of time.
WHERE: Baxter Flipside, Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700
WHAT & WHEN: Grant and Shaun: A Double Bill of Dance previews on 9 April, opens on 10 April and runs until 18 April, at 7pm nightly, with a matinee on Saturday, 18 April at 3pm.
TICKETS: R60 for the preview, matinee and for the school performance on 16 April at 11am, and R100 for all other performances.
Booking through Computicket, on 0861 915 8000, or at any Shoprite Checkers outlet. For discounted corporate, schools or block-bookings, charities or fundraisers, contact Sharon on 021 680 3962, email sharon.ward@uct.ac.za or Carmen on 021 680 3993, email carmen.kearns@uct.ac.za.
