Benji

4.82 (14)

Benji

3 performances between June 27, 2019 and June 29, 2019
Drama
Produced by Terence Makapan & Leonard Sank • Written by Terence Makapan • Directed by Kimberely Buckle • Starring Andre Roothman & Shaun Smit
50mins
Benji Andre Shaun Square.jpg

Fifty year old Craig invites male prostitute James to his immaculate home for the evening. What seems to be another night on the job for James takes a turn for the peculiar as Craig's intentions become more mysterious.

Kimberley Buckle was born in Cape Town, becoming the daughter of two academic over-achievers, starting the endless cycle of one woman shows at the dinner table and longwinded improvisations on cross-country road trips. Kimberley persuaded her parents to allow her to study the performing arts, where she graduated from the Waterfront Theatre School with a Diploma in Musical Theatre Performance and Teaching Speech and Drama - this last part being the selling point of the persuasion. At college she was trusted to co-direct EDGES (Pasek & Paul) for the National Arts Festival in 2015. After leaving college, Kimberley has written and directed her own work, SECRET SANTA, AUGUST and JUNK, as well as being a co-creator of the annual performance platform MISCELANNY.

Andre Roothman was educated in Cape Town and completed an Arts degree at Stellenbosch with Philosophy and English as majors. This is where he co-founded Die Breughel community theatre with legendary Ben de Haeck. In 1990 he and Gerard Rudolf played 'Sky en Czech' by Ashraf Jamal at the Grahamstown Festival and repeated the production under Mari Borstlapp 27 years later in 2018 at Woordfees. Other theatre titles include Drif, Macbeth, Mama Madea, Hotel Malaria and more recently King Lear, which was on at the 2019 KKNK. Television remembers him as P.J.Buys, the war-time teacher in 'Arende' and Emile Human in 'Ballade vir 'n Enkeling'. 

Shaun Smit studied Musical Theatre at TUT in Pretoria, subsequently he acted in Henry Mylne’s VASELINETJIE at Aardklop and Woordfees. He starred in South Africa’s hit theatre production of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW as Rocky since 2013, he felt ready for new challenges and continued to become an on-screen actor for the American TV series Black Mirror (Netflix) and Blood Drive (SyFy) in 2016. Recently he acted in the KykNET’s short film KLOOF and series DIE SPREEUS. Shaun is also part of Oliver Hermanus’s new feature film MOFFIE – coming out later this year.

Terence Makapan competed his studies at the Waterfront Theatre College where he majored in Musical Theatre with a love for writing and directing as well. His debut production, Kinders van die wind, made it's debut in 2015 and went to multiple festivals including the US Woordfees and Cape Town Fringe Festival. It was also at the Cape Town Fringe Festival in 2017 where his 3rd production "(w)asem", which he co-wrote alongside Du Toit Albertze, was nominated for Freshest Show of the Fringe. The production will be going to the National Arts Festival in Makhanda along with his latest show "Benji". Benji will be published by Junkets Publishers later in 2019.

Audience Responses

Show was amazing!! Loved the writing, the direction, use of lighting. I thought the actors were amazing. The story punched me in the gut and I love every second of it! It suits the reputation of Alexander Bar.

Tara • Attended June 29, 2019, 9 p.m.
5.0

Thoroughly enjoyed the show. Could definitely relate to it.

Marius • Attended June 27, 2019, 9 p.m.
5.0

Great show! The cast and crew did a fantastic job.

Lauren • Attended June 27, 2019, 9 p.m.
5.0

Wonderful show! Brought us to tears, but also had the right amount of humour so it wasn't too heavy. This run was so short, please bring it back!

Winston • Attended June 29, 2019, 9 p.m.
5.0

Great!

Monde • Attended June 29, 2019, 9 p.m.
5.0

Best 2 man show I have seen. Both actors are superb!

Liezl • Attended June 28, 2019, 9 p.m.
5.0

A heavey subject ,they acted well but they could grow more into their caracter , that would lift the play as a whole

Joachim • Attended June 27, 2019, 9 p.m.
4.0

Amazing!