Creative Mastermind!

Cow. Slob. Pig.  How many insults can you hear before you have to stand up and defend the woman you love?  Tom faces just that question when he falls for Helen, a bright, funny, sexy young woman who happens to be plus-sized - and then some. 

And that sets the stage for the sparkling new show On Broadway in Cape Town, FAT PIG! Winner of the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play in 2005 penned by American playwrite Neil LaBute, the play explores issues that we can easily identify with in our own lives: Self image, friendship, and love!   No spoilers but this is not your typical girl-meets-boy story: what happens when you fall in love with someone who is far from your “ideal”?

Attending a play on it’s preview night is always a gamble. Will the actors’ nerves will set off the show in a disasterous direction? Are the audience going to respond with the right energy?  Will the set fall apart….!?  There are so many factors that could go WRONG!  However, FAT PIG’s premier night truly wowed me! Colin Moss, Chanelle De Jager, Clayton Boyd, Lee-Anne Summers engaged the audience with incredible energy from the get-go: the first scene when Tom & Helen met, Carter’s larger than life narcissistic comments, Jeannie’s confrontation, I was living the lives of all 4 characters as the play unfolded in front of my eyes!  LaBute’s rhythmic and colloquial writing draws the audience in, and memories of the Carter, Jeannie, Tom & Helen in my life came naturally to me. 

After the show, we were treated to a Q&A session with the actors. It was incredible to hear their reactions to their first audience of the season: unexpected laughters, tears, anger and frustration at different stages… With a group of ACT Cape Town students present, the audience threw out technical questions such as

“How do you laugh so naturally, even after hearing the jokes a thousand times during rehersal?”

“Are lines re-interpretated constantly? Or do you stick to the script every night?”

Colin, Chanelle, Clayton & Lee-Anne answered each of the questions with light humour, giving acting tips to the students while conveying how their unique roles evolved over the past few months!  The one thing that truly stuck with me was Clayton’s comment:
“There is no such thing as a one-man monologue: it is simply a conversation where one gives and one takes.” 

Whether it be with a friend, a lover, or with your family, relationships can only formed when someone is willing to give!

Buy your tickets to the FAT PIG through OnBroadway’s website, call them at 021 424 1194, or grab the GrouponDeal today for discounted tickets at R59/person here! http://www.groupon.co.za/deals/cape-town/pay-r59-for-a-ticket-to-see-the-play-fat-pig-at-on-broadway-theatre-valued-at-r125—save-53-/803471/.OJbHET

Enjoy the show!

CPT Love,
Lisa Huang

Check out my Travel Blog here, and follow my adventures on Twitter! (@bestCapeTownSA)

What never cease to amaze me about Cape Town is the fact that weekend never ends! Every Monday, I think to myself “Alright, it’s time to recover from that crazy weekend!” and the next thing I know, I am exploring sweet venues around town every night!!

This was how we found ourselves in Asoka Bar’s live Jazz night on Tuesday!

Asoka Bar is one of the classiest venue in Cape Town, no questions asked! Dimmed candle lights, cozy cushioned seats, smell of calming incense dining by the Dharm Tree, an ancient Olive Tree balancing out the fengsui of the bar! The waiters are incredibly attentative, ensuring your glass is filled throughout the evening with delicious cocktails!  Ladies, you must try their Instant Karma cocktail!

We love chilling out on Tuesday nights, Asoka can be quite overwhelming during the weekend with its beautiful crowd & huge bouncers, but Tuesday is laid-back and you can exchange conversations without screaming across the floor!  The live jazz truly add to the experience, as the crowd warms up to Deep House DJ set at 23h00! You will hear the latest beats mixed with old favorites, and we eventually got our groove on the dance floor in front of the DJ booth!

Another fantastic night out in Cape Town!

CPT Love,
Lisa

*Follow me on Twitter!!  @bestCapeTownSA!