Words that are written, spoken, heard, and remembered are applauded with dignity and respect. Watching Tinarie van Wyk Loots shining like a young Elizabeth Taylor, or the gorgeously talented Samantha Peo basking in glory, everyone feels like a million dollars. Even some of the judges have become untouchable in their moment of jubilation. This gathering of equals levels the playing field and allows nominees, winners, friends, families, mentors and fans to share equally in the greatness of live theatre.
The evening belonged to the Baxter's runaway hit play Mies Julie, currently wowing audiences in London, and Kickstart's musical Cabaret. Based on August Strindberg's 1888 classic, director Yael Farber's explosive new version of Mies Julie received awards for her direction, Paul Abrahams' lighting design, Daniel and Matthew Pencer's sound design and original music, and Thoko Ntshinga for her supporting role.
Steven Stead's staging of Cabaret, which won 11 Mercury Durban Theatre Awards when it premiered in August 2011, before touring to Joburg and Cape Town, received awards for Samantha Peo for her sensational starring role as Sally Bowles, and actors Peter Court and Charon Williams in their supporting roles.
Other performance awards went to Roelof Storm as most promising new student (who delivered a magnificent Stanley Kowalksi in A Streetcar Named Desire), James Cunningham for his delightful one-man stunner Sunday Morning, Dean Balie for his memorable role in David Kramer and Taliep Petersen's Kat and the Kings, Mbulelo Grootboom for Mike van Graan's Just Business, and Elton Landrew and Quanita Adams for their riveting performances in James Ngcobo's sensational Boesman and Lena.
Kim Kerfoot received an award as best new director for his powerful Statements After An Arrest Under The Immorality Act and Louis Viljoen a well-deserved award for best South African script for his unforgettable Champ, which returns to the Fugard Theatre in April.
Designing honours went to Fred Abrahamse for his set of Kingdom of Earth, and Angelo Nemov for her costumes of The Comedy of Errors.
The Best Speech of the evening was undoubtedly Quanita Adams sharing her award with all the voiceless Lena's in the world.
An important award of the evening was the People's Choice Award, in which the voice of the people superseded that of the judges and crowned the magnificence of independent theatre with an award to I Am Hamlet that wowed audiences at the one-and-only Intimate Theatre. Sugar-Daddy producer Marlisa Doubell and her stalwart acting duo Aidan Whytock and Leon Clingman, with director Patrick Walton, were well-deserved winners.
Hosts Alan Committie and Africa Melane provided ample amusement, with Committie taking his first leap into the world of ballet.
With no nominations for opera or dance, it was strange to fill the entertainment slots with dance and operatic ensemble work. Fortunately, Committie provided much amusement with his triangle.
Ultimately, the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards are about being alive in an industry in which artists celebrate the many hours spent to conjure magic; to keep the spotlights burning, allowing audiences to sit down and wait for a new experience filled with enchantment and adventure, turning ordinary lives into astonishing memories. There is a reward in an awards evening that is indeed priceless, exposing a vulnerable and fragile humanness that mostly lurks in the showdown of fame and glory. And when you hear a surprising yelp from publicist Allison Foat when her diva-ness was praised on stage, you realise that there are plenty refreshing surprises in show business, especially when you expect it the least, or think that your work goes unnoticed.
