The Eccentric Four and the spoon that is Jesus

Oh, the plea of the struggling actor! Heard so often, tonight it comes from the stage. From the mouth of Ntombi Makhutshi, who's character, Libertina X, can't even get a part in an advertisement - that insult and golden handcuffs of the "real" actor!

Good Will Acting, written, directed and edited by Fleur du Cap winner Megan Choritz, is a comical tale about when actors can't find jobs. It's such a familiar problem that this play practically writes itself.

Dire straights

The story starts with four archetypical actors who find themselves in dire straights this December. The result is a humorous chaos when the eccentric four are in one room. Ras the Rasta (Anele Situlweni), is an optimist who refers to himself as "I and I", who interrupts conversations, goes off on philosophical tangents and anecdotes. Tabatha (Daneel van der Walt), is a melodramatic who wallows in the art of acting. Marlene (Larissa Hughes) will do anything to keep from being a waitress. And Libertina X doesn't care, as long as her honours in theatre are shown off to guarantee future work.

A tête-à-tête with the audience

Together they gang up, throw the toys out of the cot and seek a solution. Spaced between their meetings is a tête-à-tête with the audience from each actor, the magic and most honest moments in Good Will Acting. The four expose themselves, disclose their problems, thoughts and secrets. Marlene reaches a critical moment, starts to cry, loses her posh English accent and reveals her true Cape Town coloured origins. Tabatha gives inch-by-inch detail about the process of acting: LRA (Listen, Respond, and Act), an amusing scene of face pulling, laughter and fake tears. And Ras rolls joints and commences complaints with a tedious, down-on-your-luck howls.

Eventually, a conclusion is made and the gang throw together a Nativity play, and rename it The Activity, as Ras believes the former sounds negative.

Jesus is played by a spoon

Good Will Acting offers you nothing that you don't already know about the birth of Jesus. As the Nativity is revamped annually, the only thing new it teaches us is that Christians can be post-modern too - and that their play is indeed. The Activity opens up with Abba's 1979 hit I Have a Dream, sung extremely well, most notable were Marlene's almost operatic vocals. As the story unfolds the actors swap roles until the son of God is born, the part of baby Jesus is played by a spoon. I heard the 100-year-deceased church members of this old Dutch Reformed Church, that is the Kalk Bay Theatre, turning in their graves. But the silly, doe-eyed spoon Jesus was accepted with a tender "aaah".
Oh, the highs and lows of the actor's dramatic life.

Theatre Benevolent Fund

In addition to the play there is a donations box in the foyer. All the funds raised will go to the Theatre Benevolent Fund, an organisation that provides support to professional members of the entertainment industry who are in difficult circumstances.

But beyond Good Will Acting's obvious good intentions and moments, is a story graciously timely, for the season of giving and this period of financial and career strife. Actor or otherwise.

Good Will Acting will run until the 31 December. Check local listings for details.
Performances start at 20h30 and tickets for show cost R100. To book and for further information, contact 073 220 5430 or visit kbt.co.za.