Prof. Johann van der Merwe has been known by the Public Relations Management students and staff as their dedicated Professor and Head of Department but when the office lights are switched off, the spotlight is turned on! Many students who have attended his lectures have been overheard saying, ‘This man belongs on the stage!’ and that is exactly where he will be from 5 - 21 September in the musical My Fair Lady to be preformed at the Artscape Opera House.Prof van der Merwe slips into a dubious role of another professor, Zoltan Kaparthy, a slippery con artist who tries to unmask Eliza Doolittle at a ball held in honour of the Queen of Transylvania. While Prof. Higgins describes Kaparthy as “that dreadful Hungarian”, Prof van der Merwe is anything but a dreadful actor and has been twice nominated for The Cape Times Best Actor Award’. He was nominated for his portrayal of Gary in the farce ‘Noises Off!’ and Dr. Martin Dysart in the acclaimed Peter Shaffer drama ‘Equus’. Prof van der Merwe has also played the king in The King and I.
‘My Fair Lady’ first opened in 1956 and today it is still a popular musical with theatre-goers. Based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, My Fair Lady is a rags-to-riches tale of Eliza Doolittle, a poor Cockney flower seller who is transformed by Professor Henry Higgins, into a Duchess.
Produced by the Cape Town Gilbert and Sullivan Society and directed by Ralph Lawson with musical direction by Alastair Cockburn, the musical is guaranteed to entertain. Lawson not only directs the musical, but as an established talented actor has taken on the demanding role of Prof Higgins himself. Kyla Thorburn has fine-tuned the choreography which will be accompanied by the fines tunes of the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra. The stunning set design and costumes have been created by acclaimed designer Dicky Longhurst.
Ticket Bookings open at Computicket. To book, please visit http://www.computicket.com/booking/computicket/ClickItem/?ci=SSEARCH~EVENT_TYPE~EVENT_TYPE=4543039~VENUE=2525~PACKAGE=0 or phone the call centre on 083 915 8000. Group bookings may be made through Yolanda Kotze, please email her at liliesandtulips@gmail.com. For more information about the musical, please visit http://www.gilbertandsullivan.co.za/
