Sexual awakening is a Beautiful Thing
11 Mar 2015
The delightful coming-of-age play Beautiful Thing is on exclusively at the Milnerton Playhouse from 13 March and should not be missed under any circumstances. Written by renowned British Playwright Jonathan Harvey, the play has been adapted to suit a South African environment by director Johann van der Merwe, from a council housing estate in South London to the third-floor landing of an unassuming block of flats in a less-affluent suburb of Cape Town.
The characters are victims of their circumstances. Awakening sexual relationships, the daily challenge of living and working in a rough environment contribute to a production where the audience almost gets the sense of viewing reality television. However hapless these characters, there is an overriding pathos that that offers the audience many light moments and the dialogue is scattered with laugh lines.
Sandra (Colleen Lorusso) struggles to make a living as a single parent to Jamie (Sean Robinson). A barmaid by profession, Sandra is spunky, sexy and slightly sluttish. She struggles to keep a man in her life and her current beau, Tony, (Emanuel Ferreira) is 13 years younger than her and is also a loser. He sees himself as quite a stud, but, in spite of his rough exterior, he demonstrates surprising insight and sympathy at times. He likes to tan in his speedo, and believes that all chicks find him irresistible.
Awakening sexual feelings
Jamie, Sandra's nerdy son, has awakening sexual feelings for the physically abused next door neighbours' son Ste (Ryan Bird) who is a handsome all-round sportsman and also still at school. He has lots of built-up anger and frustration and often seeks refuge in Sandra's flat when he is being abused by his father and brother.
To further complicate issues, Ste has another admirer: the third flat occupant on this landing, Leah, (Ilze van Dorp) who has a drug problem and is obsessed with the late Amy Winehouse. Slightly older than the boys for her any man will do, which also includes Tony! Leah lives with her useless mother - who we never see and whose front door opens onto this landing.
Beautiful Thing is an endearing and humorous exploration of teenage sexuality, showing that love can be found in the most unusual of places.
Please note: This play is intended for adult audiences and contains strong language, sexual content and brief nudity.
Beautiful Things is on at The Milnerton Playhouse on 13, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 March at 7.30pm, with a matinee on 21 March at 2pm. (Note no performances on 14 and 28 March.) To book your seat, go to www.milnertonplayers.com, email moc.sreyalpnotrenlim@sgnikoob or call +27 (0)82 267 1061.
Read more about other live theatre opening this week at www.writingstudio.co.za
About Daniel Dercksen
Daniel Dercksen has been a contributor for Lifestyle since 2012. As the driving force behind the successful independent training initiative The Writing Studio and a published film and theatre journalist of 40 years, teaching workshops in creative writing, playwriting and screenwriting throughout South Africa and internationally the past 22 years. Visit www.writingstudio.co.za
