AN UNROMANTIC COMEDY. Written by Rosalind Butler. Directed by Craig Freimond. With Lyle October, Tamzin Williams and Awethu Hhleli. At The Baxter Studio, Cape Town.
KAREN RUTTER reviews
A trio of talent from the Baxter’s resident Fires Burning Company turn Rosalind Butler’s An Unromantic Comedy into an absolutely delightful theatre experience at the Baxter. The opening night audience was proof of an enthusiastic enjoyment that bodes well for this run.
Playwright Butler is no slouch when it comes to scripts, having been the driving force behind many of South Africa’s most popular TV series, as well as authoring Expelled, a play about the perils of social media (which was also showcased at the Baxter). With that production, as with An Unromantic Comedy, Craig Freimond directs, and his polished skill at guiding Butler’s work off the page and onto a stage is once again evident. As is Butler’s smart way with words and authentic ability to capture the zeitgeist of a particular social group – in this case, a group of urban twenty-or-thirty-somethings and their approach to relationships.
Well-crafted, well-delivered entertainment
Lyle October plays Jason, who is ardently awaiting the arrival of a guest for dinner (and hopefully more) at his place. Enter Robin (Tamzin Williams), Lyle’s ex-girlfriend whom he has mistakenly messaged the supper invitation. Things are super awkward when Jason answers the door, but it doesn’t take long before familiarity breeds dissent and both parties are throwing shade about the end of the relationship. Just when things are heating up (in interesting ways), the correct intended recipient of the invite arrives. But Nonhle (Awethu Hhleli) is not only date material – she’s Robin’s ex-best friend, and the reason for the split up between her and Lyle. The awkward dial is now ramped to the max.
As the trio try to hash things out, differing attitudes towards dating and relating emerge, ranging from support for a friends-with-benefits scenario (Jason) to a moral high horse perspective on cheating (Robin) to expectations of something more serious (Nonhle).
All of which is handled with complete flair and ease by the three on stage, making the process and the production seem effortless. The repartee snaps, the acting crackles, the humour pops, all of which makes for an entirely fun night of theatre. With Freimond’s firm hand on the tiller, Butler’s script follows a confident course and the cast are obviously clear about where they’re going.
An Unromantic Comedy offers well-crafted, well-delivered entertainment from start to finish.
What: An Unromantic Comedy
Where and when: Baxter Studio from 4 to 15 February 2025
Tickets: Webtickets
WS
