Festival of new South African plays promotes and celebrates local writers at The Masque

An incredible four new South African productions will be presented as part of The Masque’s exciting 2024 One-Act Play Festival.

The Festival takes place from 14 to 16 March at The Masque, staging new plays from four rising and established local playwrights. It’s a chance for audiences to experience the premiere of fresh stories from talented local writers, while giving the authors an affordable platform to present their work.

The programme features Inheritance by Dawn Garisch; Let’s Get Meta by Robin Hoole; Tommy and Dominick by Lauren Bates and Wrong Faces by Alex Silberbauer.

“A number of these texts were developed through The Masque’s staged reading process following a call that was put out last year for new scripts,” says Festival Director Melanie O’Connor Horn. “These readings were followed by amazingly supportive and productive discussions of the work. Mounting a new production can be a daunting and expensive process, so we are delighted that The Masque has created this Festival, enabling our playwrights to have the space to evolve their text and bring the story alive from page to stage.”

“Being able to engage with and enjoy new work hot-off-the-press always feels like a VIP experience,” says Faeron Wheeler, Head of Programming at The Masque. “South Africa has many original stories to share, so we are proud to be able to produce these four new texts. It’s also wonderful that we have established names among our line-up, as well as names that will become the established names of tomorrow – and you saw them first at The Masque!”

An argument with the departed. A punishing will. At what price would one pursue or relinquish success? In Inheritance by Dawn Garisch, a performance artist daughter and her disapproving mother tell each other what they really feel and think, after it’s too late. Or is it?

Let’s get Meta by Robin Hoole sees three social media workers, on the front lines battling online misinformation, struggling to keep up as the world spirals out of control. Can free speech be too free? What bigotry is allowed? And what happens when bad actors put the keyboard down and put actions into the real world?

Tommy and Dominick by Lauren Bates could be described as a light-hearted version of Romeo and Juliet. Set in two proud, competing restaurants, it celebrates the power of friendship. It’s a fable that speaks to many situations where hatred has caused division. Lovers of Shakespeare will smile at the snippets of his text woven into this contemporary script.

Alex Silberbauer takes on both writing and performing in her production, Wrong Faces – also starring Jason Bailey. It tells the story of a young man and woman who are stuck with each other in a house party bathroom under mysterious circumstances. It explores themes of vulnerability, intimacy, platonic love and the kindness of strangers.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:
Thursday 14 March 7:30pm – Inheritance and Let’s Get Meta
Friday 15 March 7:30pm – Tommy and Dominick and Wrong Faces
Saturday 16 March 2:30pm – Tommy and Dominick and Wrong Faces
Saturday 16 March 7:30pm – Inheritance and Let’s Get Meta

Tickets cost from R120. Bookings can be made at Quicket – https://qkt.io/1ACTFest
For discounted block bookings of more than 10 tickets – please contact manager@themasque.co.za

The Masque Box Office is open from 9am to 2pm every Wednesday.
Cash bar and simple snacks are available for sale at the Theatre.
The Masque is situated at 37 Main Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7950, South Africa.
Parking is available at the venue. Wheelchair Access and Facilities available.

The Masque has a back-up generator so the show will go on, even when there is load shedding!