“The British Lines Tour”, a repertory season of some of the finest plays by British playwrights including Oscar Wilde, Harold Pinter and Sarah Kane, opened at Cape Town’s Little and Intimate Theatres last week. Marianne Thamm spoke to Chris Weare, the man behind it all.

You have revitalised the Little Theatre precinct in the past two years with the establishment of The Mechanicals and the two repertory seasons of plays by serious heavyweights. How did it all come about?

“One, my vision for the part The Little Theatre can play. The Little has, in the past, housed many professional productions but was always seen as primarily a student laboratory.

“Fine professional venues and managements in the city have served professional theatre very well but that middle-sized theatre (200 to 240 seats) has always been lacking. I have always believed that The Little can contribute positively to the profile of professional theatre practice in Cape Town and be a leading student 'laboratory' at the same time.

“The real courage to make The Little an important part of theatre (student, amateur and professional) and of Cape Town has been served by the fantastic business development in the precinct. There is a blend of business and of student life and it seems so right to mix life rather than to separate into territories.

“Secondly as teacher; I am also an educationalist and I want to bring to this Drama Department campus a rich exchange whereby students are able to interact with a diversity of professional practitioners who are not only performing in venues right on their doorstep, but who are also rehearsing, and processing on the campus as well.

“Where else in the world have students in training been able within 14 months to see Mamet, Shepard, Wilde, Berkoff, Pinter, Kane and Albee performed professionally on their doorstep?”

“Thirdly. Hungry professional actors wanting to flex their muscles with the great playwrights, wanting to be challenged, wanting to work hard, wanting to inspire audiences are major reasons for The Mechanicals coming together.

“And fourthly; the actors now involved as The Mechanicals have for some time been intrigued with the repertory concept and excited by the prospect of actually getting an opportunity to just do it.”

How did you select the particular works?

“The selection was a result of a long process of revealing secrets, passions, interests and indulgences and then debating these 'revelations' in relation to audiences.

“The American playwrights featured very strongly in the early discussions and this led to a decision that perhaps long term planning repertory seasons should follow South African, American, English, Irish etc.

“Once it became clear that Miller, Tennessee Williams, Mamet, Shepard, Albee were favorite choices for both actors and directors, a process of elimination followed obviously influenced by logistics such as number of female/male roles.

“The success of the first repertory season propelled action to stage The Zoo Story, a play that was at the top of a list of one actor's answer to ‘What role would you give your life to play?’”

The Mechanicals is a company of professional and highly skilled, young actors. You don't have endless funding. How do you do it?

“The Mechanicals is an ensemble of actors. The word company is awkward for me as it gives the impression of some formal contracted organization.

“It has a core group at the moment but it will possibly be very different from year to year.  The only contract is a verbal commitment to be engaged in exciting theatre practice.

“But yes: at the moment they are highly skilled because they are determined to be in practise continually. They are determined to 'flex their artistic muscles' on territories of theatre practice that challenge them.

“Endless funding: How do we do it? The Mechanicals have come to the party with their own money. Obviously this is very limited. Essential costs such as rights/rental/and posters have had to be met placing everyone in a position of no wages until box office returns.

“The success of the first repertory season has fortunately produced a sponsor for the second repertory season, which will cover some essential costs before box office return.

“We hope that the smaller successes such as Decadence and The Zoo Story also play at the festival not only warm the spirits but also provide profits to support the next round or rounds.”

"The British Lines Tour" is a grueling season. How do you and the company manage to perform and rehearse SIX major works and perform them back to back?  

“Last year we rehearsed the two plays back to back. This year we have staggered the rehearsing. Importance started the ball rolling and then Dumb Waiter was added to the schedule.

“After four weeks Blasted began rehearsing and after five weeks, The Birthday Party commenced. Importance went onto a back burner whilst Birthday and Blasted went back to back. The last week it is all four - basically two a day! The Zoo Story was prepared again for the Grahamstown Festival and once the repertory season opens, Decadence will go back into rehearsal to join the season a little later.”
“The British Lines Tour” is on until August 22. Call (021) 480 7129 to book.