Regular Sneddon theatregoers will be sad to hear that our Front of House Manager, Gareth Nash, will be leaving us at the end of December 2011. 

Gareth served as the primary liaison point between the public and the theatre, and also performed vital functions in developing and maintaining relationships with producers, performers, publicists, technical staff and Computicket.

He is a BA (Hons) graduate of the University of Natal, and initially began working at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in 1995 as a student. On completion of his studies, he was made the full-time Front-of-House Manager – a post he held for three years, before leaving to teach English in Taiwan for a year.

On his return to South Africa, he began work for the University of KwaZulu-Natal and quickly entrenched himself within the School of Language, Literature and Linguistics. He has taught on and run the English Language Development programme as well as designed and successfully implemented one of the core modules for the BCom4 Programme at the University. Gareth rejoined the theatre as Front-of-House Manager in 2008, and in addition to his work at the theatre, Gareth worked for the University as Academic Co-ordinator and served on the school board for the School of Language, Literature and Linguistics.

He has now accepted a teaching post in Dubai and jet sets off in early January 2012.  Whilst we are very sad to see Gareth go, we wish him the very best for his new venture, and hope to see him back at the theatre one day at the future.

27 January 2012
Music

Hosted by the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, the Tim Wells Blues Band launches its much awaited CD, “Everything You Want”. The evening also features MC Iain Ewok Robinson, guest artists Colin Peddie and Kerry Wood of “Rise” fame, and seasoned performers and long-time friends of Tim -  Joseph Clark and Brendan Jury.

3 Feb 2012
Music

Lovers of music are in for a huge treat when these internationally renowned guitar legends showcase their brand new duo show after a five year break, due to their rigorous individual touring schedules. This will be accompanied by the release of their first ever collaboration album.  Tickets are available through Computicket at R90, with a discounted price of R50 for students.

As a classy Valentine’s treat, KickstArt proudly presents Marc Camoletti’s hilarious comedy about couples !  Don’t Dress for Dinner is a nifty comedy farce about double adultery and gourmet cooking that will have you crying with laughter and begging for more!

6 - 18 March 2012
Political Satire

Pieter-Dirk Uys is well remembered for his first one-man show which opened on April Fool’s Day 1981 - ADAPT OR DYE.  ‘Adapt or die’ was said by Prime Minister P. W. Botha, when he announced his proposed revisions of apartheid policies as a prelude to the 1981 General  Election which was still for whites only. Uys started his onslaught against the politically-correct racist regime at the Market Theatre, then toured the entire country and overseas with his show.

ADAPT OR DYE was the first local video – a recording of a Market Theatre performance in 1982 - to be introduced through hire-shops and those few outlets that had the courage to make the comedy available. That was its essence: humour. Fighting fear with laughter thirty years ago. 2012 will see Pieter-Dirk Uys close the bracket with a new onslaught against a politically-correct regime with ADAPT OR FLY.

The Rainbow Democracy will be in its eighteenth year. The African National Congress will be gearing up for its crucial congress in Mangaung during the second half of the year. Everything in our country has changed and yet some things seem to be the same old story. Poverty, violence, crime, corruption, media control, confusion and fear were the realities of life during the 1980s. Has history repeated itself in some areas and turned tragedy into farce?

ADAPT OR FLY was also inspired by politics. At the height of the Malema-speak of nationalization of mines and land-grabs of farms which frightened many people into near-panic, a spokesperson for the ANC Youth League was heard to suggest that if whites did not like the fact that the youth would take over South Africa, then they could go somewhere else:  ‘Adapt or fly!’