Rehearsals are in full swing as Cape Town prepares for the world premiere of “The Promise – on Stage,” a theatrical adaptation of Damon Galgut’s Booker Prize-winning novel. According to The Sunday Times, Club Dezza Productions and The Market Theatre join forces to bring this literary masterpiece to life on the stage.
This groundbreaking production, set to debut from September 16 to October 6 at The Star Theatre at the Homecoming Centre in Cape Town, will then continue its run at The Market Theatre on The John Kani stage from October 18 to November 5. Audiences in both cities can now secure their seats via Webtickets.
“The Promise – on Stage” boasts a star-studded South African cast and a creative team led by author Damon Galgut and internationally acclaimed director Sylvaine Strike. Strike expressed her excitement about the project, stating, “The rehearsal process for bringing this exceptional novel to the stage has been a profound and electrifying journey.”
The play promises to push the boundaries of theatre language, with costumes and sound design coming to life under the creative genius of Penny Simpson and Charl-Johan Lingenfelder, respectively. The set, designed by Josh Lindberg, promises a dynamic and immersive experience for the audience.
Galgut’s novel, which won the prestigious Booker Prize in 2021, tells the story of the Swart family, “a typical bunch of white South Africans,” living on a small farm outside Pretoria. Their promise to give a piece of land to Salome, a Sotho woman who has worked for them for years, sets the stage for a gripping narrative that explores themes of change, family, and South African history.
“The Promise – on Stage” features an exceptional cast lineup, including Rob van Vuuren, Kate Normington, Frank Opperman, Chuma Sopotela, Cintaine Schutte, Jenny Stead, Albert Pretorius, Sanda Shandu, and Jane de Wet, with sound design and original music composition by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder, set and lighting design by Josh Lindberg, costume design by Penny Simpson, and choreography by Natalie Fisher.
This production not only brings Galgut’s award-winning novel to the stage but also serves as a reflection on the diverse experiences of South Africans, making it a timely and relevant addition to the country’s cultural landscape. Damon Galgut’s Booker Prize triumph marked only the third time a South African writer has received this prestigious honour, further highlighting the significance of “The Promise – on Stage.”
