Louis Viljoen’s new play, The Grass Widow, premieres at the Baxter’s Masambe Theatre from 31 January to 11 February 2023.
The Grass Widow is a “new darkly comic, psycho-sexual thriller” by award winning playwright and director Louis Viljoen. It delves into the life of one woman, the relationships that shape her and the lengths to which she will go to exact revenge on those that have the misfortune of crossing her. What emerges is a diabolical story told from multiple perspectives of someone with an affinity for revenge.
Viljoen, known for his potent and bitingly sharp works such as The Kingmakers, The Pervert Laura, The Hucksters and The Outlaw Muckridge joins forces again with gifted actor, Emma Kotze (pictured above) to bring The Grass Widow to life. Kotze first stepped into his fast-paced wordy world with the character study, Oh Baby, I’m A Wild One with great ease. She’s set to up the darkness that lingers in that charisma even more with The Grass Widow.
Creating the onstage world in which the story unfolds is talented designer, Kieran McGregor. He has been a creative force in Fugard Theatre productions such as The Father and Clybourne Park, as well as the Viljoen penned The Eulogists. This production marks McGregor’s second project working alongside Viljoen.
Louis Viljoen background
Louis Viljoen (pictured right) is a Cape Town based writer and director. He has written and produced numerous plays including, The Bile Boys, The Frontiersmen, The Verbalists, Champ, Porno 88, The Kingmakers, The Pervert Laura, Oh Baby, I’m A Wild One, The Emissary, The Eulogists, The Demon Bride, The Hucksters and The Outlaw Muckridge. He is the writer of Rob van Vuuren’s internationally acclaimed one-man show, Dangled, which was invited to the 2017 Brighton Fringe Festival. Viljoen has won Fleur Du Cap Theatre awards (Best New South African Script) for Champ (2013) and The Kingmakers (2015). He was the recipient of the Rosalie van Der Gucht Best New Director award for his plays, The Kingmakers and The Pervert Laura and was recently nominated for Best New South African Script for The Baxter Theatre’s production of The Outlaw Muckridge, directed by Alan Committie and starring South African radio legend John Maytham.
What: The Grass Widow
Where and when: The Baxter’s Masambe Theatre from 31 January to 11 February 2023
Tickets: Webtickets
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