Cellist With Rabies

Cellist With Rabies

11 performances between Aug. 6, 2019 and Aug. 17, 2019
Theatre
Directed by Jaco Bouwer • Written by Jemma Kahn • Design by Rocco Pool • Pictures by Rocco Pool & Jemma Kahn • Performed by Jemma Kahn & David Viviers
80mins
CELLIST WITH RABIES - JEMMA KAHN DAVID VIVIERS - PHOTO BY MARK WESSELS 2.jpg Cellist with Rabies_square2.jpg CELLISt WITH RABIES - DAVID VIVIERS - PHOTO BY MARK WESSELS 3.jpg

Only one person is known to have survived full-blown rabies, by undergoing a radical form of treatment called The Milwaukee Protocol. In this romantic tragedy loosely based in the sciences, Virologist Joan Remy is extremely skeptical of the Milwaukee Protocol. She is also in love with rabies.

Jemma Kahn’s utterly unique visual style has been a hit nationally, internationally and most particularly at Alexander Bar. Kahn returns gleefully to Alexander Upstairs in collaboration with South African theatre’s preeminent auteur, director Jaco Bouwer.

Virus:
What does it feel like?

Joanie:
Sex or skin?

Virus:
Both. Skin.

Joanie:
It’s warm, obviously. Warm and smooth... like... an apricot that has been micro-waved for ten seconds. 

Virus:
I have no idea what you are talking about. An apricot?

Cellist With Rabies is a new work commissioned in 2019 by the National Arts Festival in collaboration with Toyota US Woordfees. Come and see it intimate and unplugged at your favourite performance venue in Cape Town. 

The play marries the visual styles of the Futurist Jaco Bouwer and Luddite Jemma Kahn. Separately Kahn and Bouwer have proven time and again to be most original theatre makers. Neither are afraid to experiment or offend. Both artists are recipients of the prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award. Bouwer has won numerous Fleur du Cap Awards for his work. Kahn...has never won a Fleur du Cap. Ag shame. These two voices come together for the first time to tell a love story between a scientist and a virus.

Media & Reviews

Review

"The show provides a brilliant new approach to the cliché that love makes fools of us all. It addresses romantic love’s ability both to expand and to deflate us, and the profusion of longing looks between Kahn and Viviers doesn’t offset the sinister aspects of the plot."

Review of 'Cellist with Rabies' at the National Arts Festival, by Oleander Cairns