ROSE – a fascinating and remarkable story about a feisty Jewish woman
By CityLife Arts Writer
The Market Theatre continues to stage brave work as it celebrates its 45th year in existence.
The Market Theatre presents a hard-hitting drama Roseby celebrated author Martin Sherman directed by award winning Malcolm Purkey starring the extraordinary actress, Camilla Waldman.
“It’s always a delight to bring work that speak to each other thematically. We opened this year with Kamphoer die verhaal van Susan Nell that looked at the atrocities that women endured during the Anglo Boer War. Kamphoer and Rose share a common theme, they both unpack the effects of war on women. Rose, sadly remains relevant today as racial tensions escalate and we are still witnessing a lot of these horrendous acts perpetrated against women” said James Ngcobo, the Market Theatre Artist Director
Rose is a survivor. Her remarkable life began in 1920 in a tiny Russian village, took her to Warsaw’s ghettoes and a ship called the Exodus, and finally to the boardwalks of Atlantic City, the Arizona canyons and salsa-flavored nights in Miami Beach. The play is a sharply drawn portrait of a feisty Jewish woman and a moving reminder of some of the events that shaped the twentieth century.
The play is a personal confession of an extraordinary woman in her remembering all the brilliant and tragic elements of a life lived to the full. Three husbands and a hippy lover later and experiments with memory and magic this is the story of a survivor.
This powerful one-woman tour-de-force by Martin Sherman (Bent, 1979) was nominated for an Olivier when it first premiered at the National Theatre in 1999. It remains sadly relevant today as racial tensions escalate and displacement sadly is a contemporary South Africa.
“I am delighted to be directing at the Market Theatre after so many years. I am delighted to work on this extremely delicate text Rose. Market Theatre celebrating 45 years, it seems almost unimaginable and I know what that 45 years feels like because I was on stage playing a bearded nun in Barney Simon inauguralproduction at the Main Theatre now called the John Kani when he directed Marasad”said Malcolm Purkey.
Rose was first performed in the Cottesloe auditorium at the Royal National Theatre 1999, in 2021 it will make its South African premiere at the Market Theatre from Friday 23 April – Sunday 16 May 2021. Sensitively performed by Camilla Waldman under the direction of Malcolm Purkey, and designed by Margo Snoyman with lighting by Mannie Manim, this piece of theatre promises a very moving experience.
PRODUCTION INFORMATION CREATIVE TEAM
Writer Martin Sherman
Director Malcolm Purkey
Props & Costume Designer Margo Snoyman
Lighting Designer Mannie Manim
Performer. Camilla Waldman as Rose
Age Recommendation 12
Season: Friday 23 April – 16 May 2021
Venue: Barney Simon Theatre
Performance times: Tuesday – Saturday @19h00 and Sunday @15h15
Ticket prices: Tuesday – Thursday R90.00 Friday – Saturday R150.00 and Sunday R130.00
.To make block bookings, please contact Anthony Ezeoke 011 832 1641ext 203/
083 246 4950.