THALIA TONEEL: ‘N BALLADE VIR DIE STRAAT

Shanell Binedell en Chiara Dover

@shanell_lalala en @chiaradoverr

 

 

“‘n Ballade vir die straat” – ‘n Nuwe uitkyk op ‘n onbekende wêreld

 

Suid-Afrika is ‘n hawe vir baie hartseer: beurtkrag, inbrake, dwelmmisbruik. Die een hartseer sig wat elke Suid-Afrikaner daagliks ervaar, is die bestaan van boemelaars en die hawelose. Dis hierdie nake waarheid wat deur Ballade vir die straat aangespreek word.

 

Thalia Toneel, die teatergroep van die Noordwes Universiteit (NWU) Potchefstroomkampus, het op 24 April hul eerste opvoering vir 2025 op die planke gebring in die Cachet Teater. Die stuk val onder die drama kategorie, maar bevat ook ligter oomblikke vir dié met ‘n gesonde sin vir humor.

 

In die eerste bedryf ontmoet ons die eerste twee boemelaar argetipes: die kwaad-vir-die-wêreld, pessimistiese boemelaar en die naïewe rykmanskind wat noodgedwonge homself na blikskud moes wend.

 

Die storie sentreer rondom Jackie, vertolk deur Danelle, wat van kindsbeen afhanklik is van die paar sente wat die straat vir haar bied. Nadat sy haar ma verloor het, was dit net Tannie Koekie van die algemene handelaar wat haar van ‘n eensame bestaan gered het. Jackie se lewe neem egter ‘n interessante wending wanneer Willem, vertolk deur Anton Meyer, eendag toevallig op haar straathoek beland.

 

Willem bring sy eie pyn na die verhoog. In ‘n desperate poging om sy ma se kankerbehandeling te help finansier, probeer hy om ‘n paar ekstra sente in te bring. Sy naïwiteit en onkunde oor werklike swaarkry dien as ‘n treffende kontras, asook uitbeelding, van hoe baie mense nie werklik die lewe van ‘blikskud’ verstaan nie. Beide hoofkarakters lewer ‘n uitstaande vertolking – só oortuigend dat die emosie by tye oor jou spoel.

 

Die komediese karakter, Floors, is baie subtiel en natuurlik vertolk. Die akteur het gebruik gemaak van goedbeplande komieklike bewegings om die gehoor in te trek en vir die karakter lief te maak. Floors is die derde argetiepe: die hoopvolle en gemoedelike kind wat bó sy omstandighede probeer uitstyg. Hy het ons deur ‘n spiëel laat kyk om onsself te vereenselwig met die grapjas wat ons almal ken. Net so was Tannie Sophie ‘n vrou so na aan ‘n Suid-Afrikaner se hart.

 

Jackie se dramatiese monoloog waar sy haar verlede ontbloot aan die slapende Willem was hartlik en sielsverskeurend. Die aktrise het die pyn en trauma só natuurlik vertolk dat die gehoor hulself kon inleef in die oomblik asof jou eie vriendin haar pyn met jou sit en deel.

 

Meyer beskryf die voorbereiding vir die groot aand as uitdagend, maar wel verrykend. Hoewel dit harde werk was, meen hy dat hulle nie buitensporig geoefen het nie. “Die groep was baie akkommoderend en het verstaan dat studente ook ander verpligtinge het. ‘n Wonderlike algehele ervaring – ek sal dit beslis weer doen,” sê hy met ‘n glimlag.

 

Ten spyte van die bot einde, sal hierdie sin by enige mens kan vashaak: “Draai om en ontmoet my in die middel van Dubbelloop Laan”.

Thalia Toneel Produksie (Source: Tian Du Preez – @tiandupreez)

Teksversorging deur Liezel Immink

@x_liezel.ks_x

 

 

English Translation:

 

“‘n Ballade vir die straat” – A new look at an unknown world

 

South Africa is a place filled with a lot of heartache: load shedding, burglaries, drug abuse. The one sad sight that every South African experiences on a daily basis is the existence of beggars and the homeless. It’s this harsh truth that “‘n Ballade vir die straat” addresses.

 

Thalia Toneel, the theatre group of the North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom Campus, staged their first performance for 2025 in the Cachet Theatre on 24 April. The piece falls under the drama category, but it also contains lighter moments for those with a healthy sense of humor.

 

In the first act, we meet the first two beggar archetypes: the angry-at-the-world, pessimistic beggar, and the naïve rich man’s child who was forced to turn to begging.

 

The story centers around Jackie, played by Danelle, who has been dependent on the few cents the street offers her since childhood. After losing her mother, it was only Aunt Koekie from the general merchant who saved her from a lonely existence. However, Jackie’s life takes an interesting turn when Willem, played by Anton Meyer, happens to end up on her street corner one day.

 

Willem brings his own pain to the stage. In a desperate attempt to help fund his mother’s cancer treatment, he tries to bring in a few extra pennies. His naivety and ignorance of real hardship serves as a striking contrast, as well as a depiction of how many people don’t truly understand life from begging on the streets. Both main characters deliver an outstanding performance – so convincing that the emotion washes over you at times.

 

The comedic character, Floors, is very subtle and naturally interpreted. The actor made use of well-planned comedic moves to draw the audience in and make them love the character. Floors is the third archetype: the hopeful and good-natured child who tries to rise above his circumstances. He made us look through a mirror to identify ourselves with the jokester we all know. Similarly, Aunt Sophie was a woman close to a South African’s heart.

 

Jackie’s dramatic monologue, where she exposes her past to the sleeping Willem, was heartfelt and soul-wrenching. The actress interpreted the pain and trauma so naturally that the audience could empathize with the moment as if your own friend were sitting and sharing her pain with you.

 

Meyer describes the preparation for the big night as challenging, but enriching. Although it was hard work, he feels that they did not practice excessively. “The group was very accommodating and understood that students had other obligations as well. A great overall experience – I will definitely do it again,” he says with a smile.

 

Despite the blunt ending, this sentence will stick with any human being, “Draai om en ontmoet my in die middel van Dubbelloop Laan” (“Turn around and meet me in the middle of Double Avenue”).

Thalia Toneel Production (Source: Tian du Preez – @tiandupreez)

Translation and Editing by Simoné de Witt