With the premier of Most Honest Man, University of Cape Town graduates Mdu Kweyama and Alex McCarthy make their debut as artists-in-residence at the Baxter Theatre Centre for 2015, made possible by the Rolf-Stephan Nussbaum Foundation. For the production, the two theatre-makers are supervised by the Baxter’s CEO and artistic director Lara Foot. Resident director Kweyama heads the production as director and choreographer, with dramaturgy and assistant direction by resident playwright McCarthy.

Based on Shakespeare’s Othello, Most Honest Man looks at the relationship between Othello (performed by Van Ster) and Iago (performed by Oelf), exploring the notions of sexual jealousy and its power to destroy. Through movement the relationship between the two characters is interrogation as they delve into issues such as trust, virtue, amorality, projection and isolation.

Van Ster and Oelf have fast become two of South Africa’s rising young dance talents, making a name for themselves and their company, Figure of Eight Dance Collective (FO8), which they established in 2014. The company recently performed at the Fleur du Cap awards, choreographed by Van Ster.

Last year they teamed up with dancer-musician Thabisa Dinga and choreographer-director Ananda Fuchs to create The Architecture of Tears, an exploration into the human responses to attraction beyond gender and social correctness. It has been performed to great acclaim at the 2014 Cape Town Fringe and Baxter Dance Festival and most recently at the 2015 Dance Umbrella in Johannesburg. For this season at the Baxter, Ciara Barron will perform the female role from Thursday, 9 to Tuesday, 14 April, followed by Thabisa Dinga from Wednesday, 15 to Saturday, 18 April.

The Architecture of Tears was visually inspired by a study of 100 Tears Photographed Through A Standard Light Microscope conducted by Rose-Lynn Fisher in 2013 which comments on falling lustfully, landing painfully, dusting off vigorously and confronting our complex and simple truths.

This exciting double bill of Most Honest Man and The Architecture of Tears will showcase their talents and further expand their repertoire which they have managed to build up in a short of time.

Production: Grant and Shaun: A Double Bill of Dance
Date: Thursday, 9 to Saturday, 18 April
Time: 19:00 nightly and 15:00 on Saturday, 18 April
Venue: The Baxter Theatre
Cost: R60 to R100

Bookings can be made via Computicket or at any Shoprite Checkers outlet.

For discounted corporate, schools or block-bookings, charities or fundraisers, call Sharon on +27 21 680 3962 or email [email protected]. Alternatively, call Carmen on +27 21 680 3993 or email [email protected].

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