South African theatre legend, Andrew Buckland, takes on the role of writer and director with his play, Feedback, a razor-sharp satirical comedy about the politics of food, at the Baxter Studio, from 7 to 30 August 2025 at 8pm, with Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.
Assisted by the award-winning Roshina Ratnam (Life & Times of Michael K, Hamlet), the production features the Baxter’s Fires Burning Company: Carlo Daniels, Awethu Hleli, Nolufefe Ntshuntshe and Lyle October – all recently seen in acclaimed productions such as La Ronde, Neighbourhood, Metamorphoses and Othello.
Feedback is an extraordinary murder mystery that, under the unique and unconventional vision of Buckland, transforms into a farcical, uproarious and eccentric work of physical theatre. It cleverly and hilariously delves into themes ranging from food consciousness to globalisation and, in the hands of the Fires Burning Company, evolves into an intense, action-packed celebration of humanity, highlighting both our capacity for greed and altruism.
Part murder mystery, part theatrical feast and through Buckland’s satirical lens, the play explores several universal themes such as food security and access, abundance and scarcity and greed and generosity. The audience is taken on an energetic ride where absurdity and poignancy collide – complete with cheese flying around and a host of eccentric characters.
The dynamic cast embark on the thrilling journey in a story centred around two brothers, a pair of detectives and a multitude of flying cheeses (along with other food items) as they match wits with the nefarious Grave Brothers.
Buckland explains how the play came about, “One day I overheard two packers in a supermarket having a conversation and the one asked the other, “how are the cheeses doing”, to which his colleague replied, “they are flying off the shelf.” This got me thinking about the sociology and governance of food – how, while some people are feasting, others are dying of starvation. Unpacking those few words led to the genesis of Feedback.
“Feedback is a wild collision of satire and surrealism, taking us into a chaotic world where food fights back, power corrupts and survival is both absurd and deeply human,” explains assistant director, Roshina Ratnam. “It’s a sharp, funny and unsettling ride that leaves you questioning who’s feeding whom. In short it is surreal, thought provoking and wildly entertaining.”
WHAT: Andre Buckland’s Feedback WHERE: Baxter Studio, Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7600 WHEN: 7 to 30 August 2025 BOOKING: Webtickets online or at Pick n Pay stores | Baxter Monday Special at R220 for a light meal at La Cuccina at The Baxter and the show | Schools’ matinee performances Wednesdays at 11am | For reduced price block bookings (of 10 or more) and school groups: Mark Dobson T 021 680 3972 E mark.dobson@uct.ac.za or Carmen Kearns T 021 680 3993 E carmen.kearns@uct.ac.za. INFO: T 021 685 7880 | E carmen.kearns@uct.ac.za | VISIT
Buckland is one of South Africa’s most celebrated theatre-makers, with a career spanning several decades across stage, film and television. He has received over 20 national and international awards, including three Fringe First Awards at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Best Actor accolades at the Fleur du Cap, Woordfees and Naledi awards. He is part of the cast of Life & Times of Michael K, played Hamlet for the SABC, performed in Kagiso Lediga’s film Catching Feelings and has collaborated on numerous productions, including Firefly, The Inconvenience of Wings and Endgame. He is Professor Emeritus at Rhodes University, where he taught for many years.
Ratnam is a director, writer, performer and puppeteer. Her directorial credits include Surge and Glimmer (both nominated for Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards), Ka-Boom! and Filled, which received Ovation Awards at the 2025 National Arts Festival. As a performer, she toured internationally with Life and Times of Michael K (adapted and directed by Lara Foot with the Handspring Puppet Company) and served as Assistant Director on Patmos with Jaco Bouwer.
