September 9, 2004
By Bafana Nzimande
THE much-loved stories of Hans Christian Andersen are being woven into an enchanting school holiday experience for youngsters at the People's Theatre at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre in Braamfontein.
The production - 'Theatre in Education' - combines six of Andersen's fairytales, including 'Thumbelina' and 'The Ugly Duckling', and aims to transform book reading into a fun-filled activity.
The People's Theatre was the first recipient, in 2003, of the Naledi Award for Best Theatre for Children.
On Wednesday 8 September, special children from eight nursery schools - from the Cotlands and Lambano sanctuaries, the Sunshine Centre, Homeless Talk, Key School, Sagad School, Nkosi's Haven and Etembeni - attended the opening-day performance free of charge.
First in line were 27 children from Sagad School who walked hand-in-hand into the theatre under the watchful eye of teacher Jenny Mcloghry.
Smiling broadly and clearly thrilled to be in the theatre, the children took their seats. "It's a new and exciting experience for the kids as most of them have never been to a theatre before," said Mcloghry. "I hope that after today's experience, the kids will develop a passion for theatre and adopt a culture of reading books."
Coinciding with National Readathon Week from 6 September - a campaign to encourage children to read - the People's Theatre production aims to "foster an understanding and love of words".
In the wink of an eye, the theatre was jam-packed with children waiting patiently for the play to start, many singing along with the music from the surround sound system.
The youngsters fell silent as the music faded, the theatre turned into a dark cave, as the curtains rolled aside to reveal a spaceship which took the audience on a trip of the imagination to the wondrous world of fairytales.
The cast of eight changed roles and costumes constantly and the stage sets added to the visual spectacle. The young audience were encouraged to interact with the familiar characters and sing along as the play progressed through Thumbelina and other Andersen tales.
"We chose Andersen's best fairytale stories and produced them into one brilliant theatre," explained Vanessa Jamieson of the People's Theatre. "In all our plays we always encourage self-expression, audience participation and education."
"I am enjoying the play so much and I want to be a actress when I grow up," said six-year-old Khanyi Sithole from Homeless Talk, mimicking some of the characters in the play.
At the end of the show, as chattering children left to catch their minibus taxis, cast member Werner Botes was exhausted but elated by the response of the children. "The audience was very alive today and they made me enjoy every moment on stage."
The Theatre in Education programme includes Thumbelina, Tinderbox, The Ugly Duckling, The Princess and the Pea, The Emperor's New Clothes and The Snow Queen.
The show, co-directed by Keith Smith and Jill Girard, is on at the People's Theatre at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre complex in Braamfontein from 8 September to 9 October. Performances are at 9am and 11am Monday to Friday, and at 10.30am and 2.30pm on Saturdays and during school holidays.
Tickets are available at Computicket or at the theatre. For more information, contact Jill Girard or Keith Smith on 011 403 1563 or e-mail peoplestheatre@artslink.co.za.
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