Move over Jerry Springer, the Tura Springer show is here

When will it rain in Namibia?
October 5, 2012
The Busch Hotel alive with activity
October 10, 2012
When will it rain in Namibia?
October 5, 2012
The Busch Hotel alive with activity
October 10, 2012

By Frederick B. Philander

Boozing, dressing up, swearing and fighting, all in a day in the life of the Tura Springer show …

Tura Springer

The ‘presenter’ in the play, Tura Springer, Pappegaai, with one of the male participants. Photo: Frederick Philander

AN abrupt stoppage without any apparent reason (maybe a costume change for the lead actress?), an over-decorated shebeen background, a barrage of township swearing, boozing and orchestrated chaos and of course physical fights.

This was the order of the day in the show Tura Springer, a play that ran at the NTN Backstage on Wednesday (10 October 2012) at Backstage of the National Theatre of Namibia.

Glitches or not, the play by first time stage script writer and director, Magreth Nunuhe, brought across the message of township life loud and clear.

The evolvement of the play turned out to be an orgy of laughter by a very appreciative audience

Partially based on the Jerry Springer American television show, the play brought out the raw culture in a painfully honest way.

In the absence of the Jerry Springer show’s usual and primarily fat, poor white women sharing their love and sex secrets with the audience, we could easily relate to the characters such as Pappegai, Skora-Skora and others.

I attribute this to the un-inhibition, rawness and simplicity of the inhabitants living in Katutura, well portrayed in this play.

 

tura springer

The heat is turned on …

The play was staged as part of the NTN’s Theatre Zone competition.

The cast:

  • Landi Nangombe
  • Steven Afrikaner
  • Tjonoki Kazondovi
  • Ruddy Seibeb
  • Beverley Gowases
  • Joe Tjiho
  • Lovey Diergaardt
  • Nelson Nunuhe
  • Hedwig Kooper
  • Pinky Kasuto

 

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