SO… THAT HAPPENED. Two-act adult themed play. Written and directed by Werner Asher Steffen. Milnerton Playhouse. SHEILA CHISHOLM attended media night of the world premiere.
Warning bells (should) clang loudly when the phrases “let’s talk about it” and “so… it’s MY fault” enter a discussion. That’s where we meet Anne (Hannah Crafford) and David (Donovan Burger).
Anne is obsessed with falling pregnant and the possibility of fertility treatment. She’s deaf to her husband David’s concerns. Their ongoing bickering allows him the opportunity to step back to assess what he wants out of their three-year marriage – is his love strong enough to bind them?
And Then What?…
So… That Happened is a follow-on to playwright director Werner Asher Steffen’s successful 2019 And Then What?… It’s a bluntly-spoken look at how sexual desire too often leads to insecurity, misunderstanding, and unsubstantiated fear, and how these block the ability to talk openly to one’s partner.
Set in a neat, modern, symmetrically furnished living room, So…That Happened opens with Fiona (Lizanne Peters), sitting quietly on the floor, paging through an old photograph album. Her body language indicates that this is an angry young woman. The ‘why’ unfolds as the play moves on.
Without giving anything away, Fiona is rightfully angry – at herself. Except what’s done can’t be undone, and anger can’t change the status quo. Can her friends Anne, David, Bryan (Anton Schäfer) and Collin (Shaun Saal) help her? Yes, but first they must resolve their own issues.
Directing your own work isn’t an easy exercise. All too frequently a playwright is too close to his work to see weak spots. However, except for odd static moments and dropped voices at the end of sentences, there were few direction weak spots. Steffen also succeeded in drawing believable portraits from his cast with Saal’s quieter presence bringing balance to angrier, frustrated, sometimes humorous, outbursts from others.
This is a gripping, mature, thought-provoking play which reflects on contemporary life. Do see it!
What: So… That Happened
When: 9 – 17 September 2022
Where: Milnerton Playhouse Cape Town
Book: bookings@milnertonplayers.com or 082 267 1061
Dinner and show: To book for the dinner and show package at R200 pp at Milnerton Playhouse on Woodbridge Island see www.milnertonplayers.co.za
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