Southern suburbs actors light up stage and screen
Two actors from Fish Hoek and one from Simon’s Town are lighting up the stage and screen.
If you're a fan of local productions, chances are you've caught an episode of Summertide, which airs on M-Net on Sundays at 6pm. Set in False Bay, it introduces us to Martin Field, a marine biologist and single father, as he establishes a penguin rehabilitation centre following the loss of his wife.
Among the cast are Terry Norton, of Simon’s Town, and Evangelina Hallock, of Fish Hoek.
Terry, a veteran of both stage and screen who plays Martin's mother, Wilma Field, is best known for her role as Trish Greeff in Egoli. She’s acted in more than 30 films and 20 TV series and has won several “best actress” Fleur du Cap awards.
Wilma is depicted as a hard-working homemaker who rethinks her views on gender roles while helping her adult children navigate the trials of parenthood.
"What happens to Wilma is that once the kids have grown up and left home, she starts looking at her life and makes certain choices that show she's taking control of her life,“ Terry says.
“She's been a devoted wife and mother, but now she wants to find things that make her happy as an individual. I think this happens to many women because they often spend so much time taking care of others that they forget to take care of themselves.”
Twelve-year-old Grade 6 Fish Hoek Primary School pupil Evangelina plays Martin's 10-year-old daughter, Lucy, who sees herself as an old soul and tries to fill her mother’s shoes.
Evangelina found her way into acting through her mother, Kathryn Hallock, who is also an actress.
"From a young age, my sister and I would go to auditions, and I decided to try out for my school play, Robin Hood, in Grade 3. That experience really ignited my passion for acting. It helped me gain confidence because I used to be quite shy. Acting showed me how much I love it."
Evangelina feels a strong connection to her character, Lucy, because they both deeply care about the environment and animals.
"Lucy is passionate and loving, but she's also witty and mature, and she tries to keep her family together, which I admire. Playing Lucy is unlike any other role I've had before.“
Meanwhile lyric soprano Sian Atterbury, of Fish Hoek, takes on the lead role of Emma in the one-woman, one-act production, Tell Me On a Sunday.
The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical describing Emma’s efforts to find love in The Big Apple is on at the Avalon Auditorium Homecoming Centre, formerly The Fugard Theatre, from Wednesday April 24 to Sunday April 28.
Since her first role as Liesel in The Sound of Music in 2003, Sian has been in many shows at the Artscape and performed in concerts worldwide.
“This production has every dream scene you could want in a piece - beautiful lyrical moments, as well as fiery, passionate argumentative pieces,” she says.
“As the only performer on stage, you have no reprieve for an entire hour. I feel like after this I could really do anything that comes across my path as far as performing. The stamina required is next level.”
