Step outside the realm of reality and plunge into the world of Black Mouse, a haunting play written by Alice Viskat (pictured left) and presented at the Theatre Arts from 2 May 2024.
Set in a secluded manor, this drama unravels like a sinister riddle, with absurdist comedy lighting your way through the twisting labyrinth. Enter into the world of Artemis, a
devoted butler tormented by the whims of his disturbed mistress, Jess, where every whispered secret and stolen glance reveals a new layer of deception. As their stories
intertwine, Artemis transcends his role, evolving into Jess’s confidante and, perhaps, something even more.
Directed by Alice Viskat (creator of Flughafen), Black Mouse features S’Qhamo Mangcu as Artemis and Alice Viskat as Jess. The staging is intimate and the set is a whimsical and extravagant display of the run-away imagination of Alice Viskat, adding an absurd and playful element to this macabre play, with a haunting piano motif winding itself around the necks of the two characters.
Black Mouse is a chilling exploration of the human psyche, a journey into the darkest corners of the soul where redemption is a distant hope and the truth a rare commodity. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the greatest mysteries are those we carry within ourselves, hidden from the light of day.
Black Mouse Cast
S’Qhamo Mangcu (pictured right) is a theatre and screen trained actor who has been active in Cape Town industry since 2020. Like many, he discovered his love for performing arts in high school and decided to pursue it as his career. He acquired his formal theatre and screen training from AFDA, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Live Performance. He was been a part of numerous local and international film and television productions such as Darby Harper Wants You to Know (2022), Tali’s Joburg Diary (2022) and Invasion (2023). In 2023 he made his professional theatre debut in Baked Shakespeare’s production of As You Like It and has subsequently been a part of Baked Shakespeare’s other productions, The Best Whorehouse in Bethlehem and Weed Life on Deck.
Director and writer of Black Mouse, Alice Viskat, made her directorial and writing debut in November, 2023, with the play Flughafen. She is no stranger to the stage and has been acting, singing and dancing her way under the proscenium arch since she was three years old, when she made her acting debut playing the cameo roles of a fairy, a pig and a clam. She went on to study at the Waterfront Theatre School where she graduated in 2020, decorated with awards including Most Exceptional Ballet Dancer. She then broadened her horizons and went into film, starring in Resident Evil (Netflix) and Boetie Boer (Showmax), amongst others.
What: Black Mouse
Where and when: Theatre Arts, Observatory from 2 – 5, and 9 – 12 May 2024
Tickets: Quicket
WS
