There's something magical sprouting in Cape this winter. Oh no, there isn't. Oh yes, there is no. It's not just the rain Kickstart Theater in association with the Baxter, it's bringing their award winning panto magic to the mother city for the first time with a larger than life production
of Jack and the bean Stalk. It is the perfect school holiday treat, running from the third of July to the twenty seventh of July, and it's packed with laughs, music, and more giant fun than you could shake a magic bean at. We know it's a bit of a way off, well a few four days, but you're going to have to act fast to make sure that you've got tickets for this one. This year's production is written and directed by Stephen Stead and designed by three time Fluid Cup
winner Greg King. Delighted, but we're joined now by longtime pantomime player Liesel Copen, who plays the role of Lady Beastley in Jack and the bean Stalk. He's all good to have you with us this afternoon, Hiday.
Thank you so much for having me.
What a pleasure. No, really really excited. This is the first time that you're bringing one of your magical Pantos to the Baxter with Kickstart, Why Now and why particularly Jack and the bean Stalk.
So what's been Kickstart has been doing pantos in Durban for the last twenty years. In fact, I think this Christmas season will be the twenty first year. It's become a staple Christmas tradition in Durban and we always sell out and we've always wanted to be able to bring it to kates On its most wonderful way to entertain
both children and adults. And yeah, we just we just can't wait to and we really hope that we can we can start a tradition here in Capton as well, because it's in honest success in Durban.
So I, as many of people know, I grew up in the UK where pantomime, particularly as you said, Christmas panto is. It's it's such a it's such a tradition for so many families, and it's it's become quite a quite big business as well. We managed to get in, you know, celebrity names to come in and do guest starring performances and things. But it's such a specific theatrical form. It's it's cheeky, it's musical, it's interactive that Oh no he isn't. Oh yes he is all of that kind
of thing. He's behind you, all of that sort of stuff. What do you think makes panto so special?
Oh? You know, there's there's nothing quite like pantom And you know, it's not a musical, it's not children's theater. It's it's such a clever script and it's it appeals to both adults, two teenagers to small children. In our Panthers, Stephen Stead, our director and writer, has so cleverly integrated local flavor into it. We have catchy songs and energetic choreography, and there's humor, there's fantasy, there's spectacle. Our setter outrageous.
Our costumes are even more so outrageous. And you know it's it's people come away with that. They go in not really knowing what to expect, and then they just have the best term. And it's often those dads that would rather be watching the rugby that end up having the best term. Yeah. So it's it's such a wonderful genre and I encourage everyone, all ages come and see what it's all about.
I would love that. I would love for people to go who've never been because they may not ought to expect, or people who aren't necessarily regular theater go is because I can people have an idea of what the theater is like and that maybe it's this kind of exclusive space where you must sit in all be terribly terribly serious, even you know that every everything's going to be so serious.
That's what's what the Panta is all about, you know, It's about bringing It's about you know, there's so many people that will just that that don't expect to enjoy it, and they just have the best family. That's what we'd love to do is to start another tradition here like we have in Durban. People they come back year and year and year after each other. It's just it's such a wonderful genre.
Liza I mentioned that the set design is courtesy of three time Flirt account winner Greg King. What's he done that makes this one so special?
Well, it's magical. You know, you don't see the sets like this anymore. Really, it's pretty rare to have. We have. It's colorful bursts of color. I don't want to give it too much away, so you're going to have to come and see it for yourself. But it's just it's outrageous, outrageously beautiful, and it's like a fantasy land. It's it's like bolt dis need and I can't even explain it. It's just the most spectacular sets and it's just beautiful, beautiful.
He's so clever, he's so clever, and just when you think you've seen it all, then there's something else that pops onto the stage. It's just wonderful.
Tell us a little bit about about your character. So you play the role of Lady Beastly perfectly horrible.
She is so delicious. She is one of my favorite favorite roles to play. And it's the third time that I'm playing her, and you know, because I think the villain always has the best lines, to be honest, and she's such fun to play. And even though this is the third time that I'm I'm playing her because of the way that the script is written. It's so funny and so witty that I'm able to add on more layers every single time that we rehearse and every time
I perform. And she's evil, but she's clever and crafty and witty and just delicious. So the adults tend to love me. The children boomy, But I think I'll win them over in the end.
Just to remind us how we can get how we can get tickets for the show.
So you can get your tickets on web tickets. We're actually running a preview special for the first five shows for one hundred and eighty rand and that's from the Thursday, and you can get them at web tickets online. But I would really encourage you to book as soon as possible.
I've got two small children. I've got I've got a five and a two year old. How how would you recommend it's an age an age ranger? Is it for everybody?
We'll usually say around about three, okay, three or four, but some children come as young as three. It's it's there's just so much happening on the stage. It might be a little overwhelming for someone too young, but honestly, from three until one hundred years old, you're going to have the best time.
I'm looking forward to it. Liesel, thanks very much. Indeed, Liesel coppin joining us this afternoon. She plays the role of Lady Beastly in Jack and the bean Stalk, which Kickstart is bringing to the Baxter Darding this the Thursday. I think, is it Thursday, Yes it is Thursday, the third.
Tickets between the Early Bird Special three to the third to the fifth of July at one hundred and eighty rand and then thereafter three hundred round for adults, two sixty for students, two fifty for children and pensioners will pay two hundred and ten rand. Make sure that you go and see Jack and the bean Stalk at the Baxter