The winners of the 59th Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, sponsored by HEINEKEN Beverages, were announced last night at a glittering ceremony at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Rondebosch, Cape Town.
Star of the evening was Die fel omstrede kroon van Edward II en Gaveston, a drama by prominent Belgian playwright and novelist, Tom Lanoye. Nominated in nine categories, it earned awards in three. These were for Best Director – Marthinus Basson, Best Lighting Design – Nicolaas de Jongh, and Best Costume Design – also Marthinus Basson.
Veteran actress Sandra Prinsloo, honoured in 2022 with the Fleur du Cap Lifetime Achievement Award, won the award for Best Performance by a Lead Actress for her role as Anna in Die moeder. A US Woordfees production, it also took home the coveted Best Production Award.
The award for Best Performance by a Lead Actor went to Brent Palmer for his portrayal of George Megalos in his play King George.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s legendary musical The Sound of Music, brought to South African stages by Pieter Toerien Productions and Cape Town Opera, triumphed with Brittany Smith’s interpretation of Maria winning her the Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical or Music Theatre Show award, and William Berger as Max earning him the award for Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in the same category.
Puccini’s powerful opera Tosca made a clean sweep with Lukhanyo Moyake and Nobulumko Mngxekeza garnering awards for the Best Performances in the Male and Female categories in an Opera, respectively.
The Promise – On Stage by Damon Galgut also clinched two awards: for Best Set Design by Joshua Lindberg, and for Best Sound Design, Original Music, Soundscape or Live Performance by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder.
The University of Stellenbosch’s Angelique Viaan Filter took the Most Promising Student Award.
As has become custom over the years, the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards’ judging panel had announced the winners of the three special awards ahead of the gala ceremony. They were Professor Angelo Gobbato, recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his enormous impact on South African opera extended over many decades; Gregory Vuyani Maqoma, who received the Encore Award for his contribution to theatre exemplified in his product of Exit/Exist; and the Rainbow Arts Organisation of Delft, Cape Town, that landed the Innovation in Theatre Award for its impact on youth development.
Millicent Maroga, corporate affairs director of sponsor HEINEKEN Beverages, said the company was delighted to have been associated with the annual Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards for close to 60 years.
“The performing arts, in whatever form they take, have the capacity to bring us together in a way that helps to cross divides, build bridges, and most importantly, to understand others and ourselves. That’s what makes theatre so critical and so deeply essential in our lives and our society.
“We are proud to enable, support and sustain the arts as our investment in opportunity and talent. And in our shared future.
“Congratulations to all the winners. You are the people who stir us, who lift us out of the everyday to change us, to make us see, feel and think in new ways.”
Commenting as panel chair, Africa Melane said that 2023 was a year of theatrical excellence, with the awards reflecting a dynamic, healthy mix of emergent and established local talent.
“As a panel, we were thrilled with the exceptional quality of productions mounted in Cape Town and Stellenbosch during 2023.
“Audiences were reminded that theatre has immense power to profoundly shape and transform individuals. Theatre invites audience members to step into the shoes of someone else, lose themselves briefly and become empathetic. There is hope that this forges deeper connections with others.
“Thank you to the collective genius of the theatre makers for the amazing productions mounted on the boards in 2023. Once again, we were challenged; we were entertained; and we had a mirror held up to compel us to reflect on our society.
“We salute and celebrate you this evening,” Melane concluded.
The winners of the 59th Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards are:
MOST PROMISING STUDENT
Angelique Viaan Filter | University of Stellenbosch
BEST NEW SOUTH AFRICAN SCRIPT
Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni | Delela
BEST NEW DIRECTOR
Amée Lekas | African Gothic | Drama
BEST THEATRE PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
The King of Broken Things | Theatresmiths
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE
Oedipus at Colonus #aftersophocles | Buhle T Stefane, Azola Mkhabile, Mihlali Bele, Lindokuhle Melaphi, Thabo Mkenene, Kuhle Myathaza, Nosiphiwo Ndabeni, Siphenathi Siqwayi, Wendy Mrali, Moluphi Lepeli and Sipho Kalako
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A REVUE, CABARET OR SOLO SHOW
Marlo Minnaar | Die halwe huis | Bumper Jansen
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW
William Berger | The Sound of Music | Max Detweiler
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW
Tankiso Mamabolo | Ziyana | Mother
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW
Stuart Brown | We Will Rock You | Galileo
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW
Brittany Smith | The Sound of Music | Maria Rainer
BEST PUPPETRY DESIGN
Luyanda Nogodlwana | Maxeke: This work is not for yourselves | Drama
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Nicolaas de Jongh | Die fel omstrede kroon van Edward II en Gaveston | Drama
BEST SET DESIGN
Joshua Lindberg | The Promise – On Stage | Drama
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Marthinus Basson | Die fel omstrede kroon van Edward II en Gaveston | Drama
BEST SOUND DESIGN, ORIGINAL MUSIC, SOUNDSCAPE OR LIVE PERFORMANCE
Charl-Johan Lingenfelder | The Promise – On Stage | Sound design and original score
BEST PERFORMANCE IN AN OPERA – MALE
Lukhanyo Moyake | Tosca | Mario Cavaradossi
BEST PERFORMANCE IN AN OPERA – FEMALE
Nobulumko Mngxekeza | Tosca | Floria Tosca
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Mark Elderkin | A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Bottom
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Jennifer Steyn | The Beauty Queen of Leenane | Mag Folan
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY
Brent Palmer | King George | George Megalos
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Sandra Prinsloo | Die moeder | Anna
BEST DIRECTOR
Marthinus Basson | Die fel omstrede kroon van Edward II en Gaveston | Drama
BEST PRODUCTION
Die moeder | US Woordfees | Drama
Eligible productions performed in 2023:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream; A Star is Born – The Rise and Fall of Judy Garland; A Vegan Killed My Marriage; African Gothic; Baked Shakespeare (As You Like It); Bucket Boy; Buzani Kubawo; Byster; Cantos of a Life in Exile; Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol; Cruise; Delela; Devil Song; Die fel omstrede kroon van Edward II en Gaveston; Die halwe huis; Die lug is blou; Die moeder; Dreamland; Dude! Wa’s my bakkie?; Educating Rita; Ember; Emsini; Every Brilliant Thing; Hamba Nam Ndipheleke; Hamlet (Abrahamse and Meyer Productions); Hamlet (Janni Younge); Hans steek die Rubicon oor; Hansard; iKrele leChiza; Jakob; Jonathan Roxmouth’s Key Change; King George; Kunene and The King; Lamentations; Magda Louw; Master Class; Maxeke: This Work is Not for Yourselves; My Children! My Africa!; My Fellow South Africans; My hart is ’n muurbal (en ander gedagtes); Next!!! Auditions are Not for the Faint of Heart; Oedipus at Colonus #aftersophocles; Of Loss – Handle with Care; Oorwinningsreis; Orphans; Patisserie Femme; Same Time Next Year; Sell-By Date; Skin Tight; Spanish Steps; Strike a Match; The Beauty Queen of Leenane; The Buddy Holly Story; The Grass Widow; The Moon Looks Delicious from Here; The Promise – On Stage; The Rangers; The Sound of Music; The Visigoths; The Year of the Bicycle; Tiro’s Toughloop Testimony; Tswalo; We Will Rock You; why do moths fly like crazy fucks in the night; Xcode; Ziyana
The panel of judges for 2023:
Africa Melane (chair), Dr Beverley Brommert, Hadley Tituss, Dr Lwando Scott, Mariana Malan, Marina Griebenow, Naudé van der Merwe, Nkgopoleng Moloi, Roxy Marosa, Tracey Saunders and Dr Wayne Muller. Sive Gubangxa served on the subpanel for the Best Student Award.
