A coup de théâtre for the SA stage! PRESS RELEASE 12 July 2013 Yellow Bunny Productions, responsible for the critical successes The Mountaintop, currently playing to capacity houses at The Market Theatre, and Kiss of the Spider Woman, nominated for 2 Naledi awards, has secured the rights to the most talked about Broadway production of this year – The Testament of Mary – by Colm Tóibín, the Irish three times nominated for the prestigious Booker Prize. The Testament of Mary was performed on Broadway in 2013, and was nominated for a Tony Award for best play. It starred legendary stage actress and Tony Award nominee, Fiona Shaw, and was directed by Deborah Warner. The Testament of Mary concerns the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in her old age. Contrary to the gospels, she does not believe that her son was the son of God, and refuses to co-operate with the writers of the gospels, who regularly visit her and provide her with food and give her shelter. In Johannesburg, the role of Mary will be played by 2013 Naledi Award winning actress Patricia Boyer. The director is the acclaimed Lynne Maree (who also directed Kiss of the Spider Woman). Lynne Maree is a well-known actress, director, cabaret performer, television presenter, community theatre developer, and producer. She has worked with theatre legends such as Yvonne Bryceland, Athol Fugard, and Pieter-Dirk Uys, among many others. Her recent directing credits include Shwele Bawo (A Grave Injustice) by Motshabi Tyelele at The Market Theatre, No Sugar Canderel Please by Harry Sideropolous, Living in Strange Lands by Anton Krueger, The Petticoat Chronicle, Cry Havoc by Tom Coash, and Kiss of The Spiderwoman by Manuel Puig. She is currently working on a new South African rock opera, Pieternella’s Song, and a new play by Renos Spanoudes, Soil, about the effect of the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus on the Greek diaspora in South Africa. Patricia Boyer is a versatile and experienced actress. She has shared the stage in England with luminaries such as Sheila Gish and Janet Suzman, Hollywood stars Rachel Weisz and Gerard Butler, and local stars James Ncgobo, Fana Mokoena, and Moshidi Motshegwa. Her many theatre credits in London include Suddenly Last Summer in the West End (director Sean Mathias), The Cherry Orchard (director Janet Suzman), Don Juan Comes Back from the War (director Jo Blatchely), and The Yellow Wallpaper (Judith Roberts). She has appeared in the hit UK television series Wire in the Blood opposite Hermione Norris and Robson Green and was seen locally on the Emmy nominated Sokhulu and Partners, as well as The Lab, Home Affairs, and Shado’s. Patricia was most recently seen in Molière’s The Miser at The Market Theatre and the Baxter Theatre. She received the Naledi Award for Best Supporting Actress for this role. The Testament of Mary will feature innovative and cutting-edge production and lighting design by Wilhelm Disbergen. His work has been seen in all over South Africa, Europe, and the United Kingdom, and he has received Naledi Award nominations for set design and lighting. Critics the world over have unanimously praised The Testament of Mary: “beautiful and daring” (New York Times) “subversive and ruthless”, “sensational theatricality” (The New York Review of Books) “spellbinding and emotional. A generous leap of imagination” (Entertainment Weekly) The Testament of Mary is produced by Yellow Bunny Productions. In 2011, this production house was responsible for the critically acclaimed Kiss of the Spider Woman, which received two Naledi Award nominations, including for best overall production. Currently, Yellow Bunny Productions is staging the runaway success, The Mountaintop, at The Market Theatre. The Testament of Mary will be staged at the Joburg Theatre from 25 September to 6 October 2013 for twelve performances only.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 12:27:50 +0000
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