The one-woman show, From Koe’siestes To Kneidlach, will have a festive run at the Baxter Theatre over the holiday season. The production had an incredibly successful premiere season earlier in 2017 at the Auto & General Theatre on the Square, Johannesburg, as a co-production between Daphne Kuhn and Kizara Kreative. Public demand brought the delightful comedy back to that theatre and other venues for performances. Now this ‘kosher comedy’ comes to Cape Town audiences for the festive season at the Baxter Theatre, as part of its 40th birthday celebrations.
The one-woman piece is based on the bizarre, comedic and true story of what happens when a girl from the Cape Flats gets involved with a Jew-ish boy from Joburg’s East Rand. Chantal Stanfield navigates a world of new Jewish experiences – from meeting the boyfriend’s family at her first shabbos ever to late-night benching (no, not the gym kind)! She wrestles with confusion over her identity and the various labels that are placed on her while trying to understand Yiddish (oy vey!), gefilte fish and decades-old faribels! She also deals with the confusion over what to wear to a bris, and being questioned about her Afro hair.
Chantal tries to get to grips with a culture and heritage that is so vastly different to her own but sometimes surprisingly similar. Along the way we meet the omnipresent voice of her mother, her gay best friend and her first Rabbi, among others.
Chantal Stanfield
The production is written and performed by Chantal, who is a Cape Town-born actor, singer, dancer, voice-artist and stage and television performer. She graduated with a BA in Theatre and Performance in 2005 from the University of Cape Town and has since been performing both locally and internationally, on screen and on stage. She can currently be seen in the popular television series Getroud Met Rugby playing the role of Lindy Davids, team physiotherapist. Other television roles include that of Cecile Whittaker in 7de Laan, Dalene Philips in Montana and Prudence Plaatjies in S.I.E.S.
“The journey between these two cultures, experiences and backgrounds is best described in the title, playing on the similarities and differences of the two cultures” says Stanfield “Koe’siestes are soft, sticky Cape Malay doughnuts, lightly spiced with aniseed and cinnamon, dipped in syrup and covered in desiccated coconut while Kneidlach are Jewish soup dumplings made of matzah meal, eggs, water and fat, traditionally served in chicken soup and a staple on Passover. Also known as matzah balls. This story is about the joy and humour that occurred during this cultural coming together.”
From Koe’siestes to Kneidlach is directed by Fleur du Cap winner Megan Furniss. Show music is by by Paul Choritz, with pre-show music compiled by RJ Benjamin. Lighting design is by Megan Furniss and Alfred Rietmann.
What: From Koe’siestes To Kneidlach
Where, when: Baxter Theatre, until Saturday 13 January, 2018
Book: Computicket
WS
