TRANSIT by Ian Bruce and directed by Clare Stopford
On 20 November 2009, New Africa Theatre in partnership with The Royal Dramatic Theatre of Sweden premiered the new play TRANSIT and also launched their new theatre. The play will run until 7 November 2009.

New Africa Theatre Association (NATA) is no longer only the designation of a long standing theatre institution and academy; it is now set to be the name of Cape Town’s newest theatre as it launches the NEW AFRICA THEATRE with a new play in partnership with the Royal Dramatic Theatre of Sweden. 

The script is by Ian Bruce, internationally acclaimed writer and award winner of ‘Groundswell’.  Multi-award winner Clare Stopford directs well-known and up and coming artists that include Mbulelo Grootboom and Sylvia Bulelwa Ntlantlu from Cape Town,  Melinda Kinnaman, Peshang Rad and Christina Samson from Sweden, joined by itinerant West African music maker Aboubacar Ladji Kánte.

‘TRANSIT is about a flight from Cape Town to Stockholm via Frankfurt’; says Ian Bruce. ‘It is detoured by a storm and makes an unscheduled stop in a North East African country, destabilized by rebels.  An array of Europeans and Africans are forced to wait interminably, in the claustrophobic transit area of a military airport, for their plane to be refueled. As it happens the interrupted journey also frustratingly puts on hold the passages of major life adjustments that each individual is going through.  The longer the resumption of the flight is delayed the more they get to know about each other and the more inescapably they involve themselves, morally, opportunistically, manipulatively, even physically, in the course of each others lives. While the story definitely accommodates a descriptive clash of African and European aspirations and anxieties it becomes, more importantly for our times, a cross-continental drama of human need, resilience and possibility.’ 

The opening of the theatre is a culminating activity after a three-year partnership that has included skills exchanges; two theatre productions; capacity building programmes and audience development initiatives at both institutions.

The institution has become an acclaimed part of the Cape Town educational system and Performing Arts industry. Through NATA’s partnership with the Royal Dramatic Theatre of Sweden the venue has finally become usable as a small but fully functioning box- theatre. Not only because of the funding provided by both the Swedish and South African departments of Arts and Culture, but also because of the enormous good will, expertise and workmanship provided by the highly prestigious Swedish partner.

The venue is technically equipped for small shows, comedy and music and is attractive for artists interested in reaching a wide audience because of its accessible location on the border of Athlone and Rondebosch - the Klipfontein corridor. 

TRANSIT is approximately 75 minutes long with no interval. Tickets cost R50.  Blocks of 10 or more R40, students and pensioners R30. Book now through Computicket, Shoprite, Checkers outlets and on line www.computicket.com 

For more information about the venue and the production call NATA on 021 696 9039.

This project has been made possible by The Swedish-South African Culture Partnership Programme and Dramaten with additional generous support from the National Arts Council, National Lottery, W. C. Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Nussbaum Foundation, Grand West, HCI Foundation, Claude Leon Foundation, and the DG Murray Trust.

Directions:
FROM CAPE TOWN;
Take N2- direction Airport
Turn left on to the M5- direction Muizenberg
Take Exit 12- Athlone (M18 Klipfontein Rd East)
At stop street turn right into Klipfontein Rd
Take first left into Sybrand Park, Prieska Rd (before bridge)
At stop strett- turn right into Golf Course Rd
The Theatre is at the end of the road on the left, no 43.

DIRECTIONS FROM SOUTH:
From Muizenberg on M5
Take Exit 12- Athlone (M18 Klipfontein Rd and Airport)
At robots, go straight on into Golf Course Rd
Keep going o the end of Golf Course Rd
The Theatre is at the end if the road on the left, no

Please click on the link below to view the most recent review by Peter Tromp.
http://www.48hours.co.z/Guide_p6_story.html

"Toe “Groundswell” van Ian Bruce in 2005 2 Fleur du Cap toekennings gewen het, was dit ‘n welverdiende mylpaal vir ‘n hardwerkende man met visie.

Voor dit was daar al stringe ander stukke. Handevol opgeleide talent wat uit hul assosiasie met die New Africa Theatre in Sybrandpark spruit.

En “Transit” is weer so ‘n spogstuk.

‘n Verrassende stel wag die gehoor in. Berei jou voor op oomblikke van die beste wat teater het om te bied; vir die uiterste connoisseur -  met hier en daar die kleinste tegniese elemente wat kon beter.

Dis tog die kleinste dingetjies wat ‘n stuk soos “Hedda Gabler”, “Twaalfde Nag” en vele ander klassieke tekste, laat voortbestaan en jaar na jaar opgvoer word vir konstant veranderende gehore deur die eeue. Maar teater is eerstens vermaak. “Transit”, die teks - sal net kort draai, van om as een van ons heel bestes klassifiseer te word. Die teater elemente sal soms net kort draai van perfeksie.

Maar op die verhoog by die New Africa Theatre gebeur magic. In ‘n uiters verrassende gegewe is die gehoor vir die eerste kwart van die produksie nie vir een oomblik nie konfronteer met innoverende teks, spel of visuele nie. Tekstuele spanningslyne word gelê, spanningslyne tussen karakters, en ‘n sensasie van die onvermydelike pak die gehoor beet.

Twee van Swede se gerekende aktrises laat hulself geld. Die een, as ‘n voorspelbaar irriterende Amerikaner; die ander as Sweedse weldoener. En Melinda Kinnaman en Christina Samson werk met ekonomie, beheer en vat die essensie van hul karakters knap raak.

‘n Enkele oomblik van voorspelbaarheid, effe verswakte geloofwaardigheid, is kos vir die puritein, en ‘n miniskule tekstuele tekortkoming.

Sylvia Bulelwa Ntlantlu lewer ‘n baie sensitiewe vertolking, en steel harte met die wonderlike onderspeelde oomblik van waarheid. Hou hierdie vrou dop vorentoe! Mbulelo Grootboom is in elke stuk beter en beter. En hy is seker die akteur in Suid-Afrika wat die gereeldste werk. Mbulelo bied hier sy beste vertolking nog. En in die loop van die speelvak – hou hom dop – soos wat die big picture van die stuk nog beter in sy vertolking sou deursyfer.

En so ‘n verrassing soos Sharlto Copley in “District 9” is; net so verras Peshang Rad. Jy is jouself verskuldig om die man op die verhoog te sien as Adam. Die regisseur en die teks laat hom nie een keer in die steek nie.

Die musiek is briljant.

Clare Stopford is weer getuienis daarvan: jy kan jou vermaak kies aan die hand van wie die baas is. Clare Stopford ken nou eenmaal spel, die teater en hoe om die individu in ‘n veilige en effektiewe omgewing tot groot hoogtes te lei.\\\\\\\"
Albert Maritz