Theatre-lovers may find the themes of Risiko, a new Afrikaans play by Schalk Schoombie, shocking and disturbing. This intimate, sexy play for a man and a woman deals with the relationship between love and revenge, the ancient flirtation between death and the maiden, the fine line between pleasure and pain, the need for both sensations in the bittersweet tangle of secret lovers.

How much are these main characters prepared to risk in their all-out quest to obtain fulfilment? Could the ultimate price be dangerously high?

Imelda (Dominique Fourie) seems to have it all: rich husband, fast car, big mansion. When she meets Johan (Konrad van Rensburg), a “risk analyst” with unnerving abilities, she finds a perfect match for her darker, destructive desires.

Risiko is a noir thriller about desire and taboo written and directed by Schalk Schoombie, journalist and acclaimed playwright of Samoerai, a play about violence on the schoolgrounds that was performed at Aardklop Arts Festival, the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival and Innibos. His other plays include Gesplete Tong, Outodidak, Opentoe, Wetters and Leuenverklikker.

Dominique Fourie is an actress and practicing architect. She studied acting at The Method Actors' Training Centre in Pretoria and Milla Louw’s Akademie vir Dramakuns. On stage she appeared in Neil Simon’s The Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Harold Pinter’s The Lover (opposite Konrad van Rensburg) and The Collection, as Elizabeth in The Crucible, Die Waterwyser and Die Proponentjie. On TV, Dominique was seen in Scandal and Egoli and will soon feature in 7de Laan.

Konrad van Rensburg, also known by his stage name David Konrad, studied method acting and the Meisner technique in New York and Los Angeles. While in America he performed in several motion pictures, including The 25th Hour directed by Spike Lee and starring Edward Norton. On home soil, he performed in 7de Laan, Isidingo, Generations, Zero Tolerance, Kruispad and Jacob’s Cross. Recently, he appeared in a double bill of plays by Harold Pinter, The Lover and The Collection.

Schalk Schoombie is a journalist, actor, stage director and playwright. His play Samoerai won him the runner-up prize for the prestigious Anglogold Ashanti Smeltkroes Award for new plays at the Aardklop Arts Festival in 2008. His other plays include Gesplete Tong, Opentoe and Outodidak. He has written two screenplays: Samoerai and Koringberg. In 2009, he received a Special Award for Exceptional Cultural Achievement in Theatre from the Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurverenigings (FAK).

Risiko is a first time Fringe production at the 2012 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. It will be performed at the B2 Arena in the 1820 Settlers Monument on 4 July 1at 0:00 (free); 6 July at 12:00 and 16:30; 7 July at 14:30 and 8 July at 12:00 (half price). Duration 1 hour. Ticket price R60.