Award-winning young director Kim Kerfoot tackles Patrick Marber’s play of entangled relationships at the Intimate Theatre from the 5th to the 23rd of November 2013

Four characters come together and are torn apart in a succession of connections and confrontations.

Closer delves into the relationships of four people living in London, with chance encounters sparking desires and deceits as Dan, Alice, Larry and Anna collide over the course of four years. Truth and lies both bring the characters closer and tear them apart. Albert Pretorius plays Larry, the dermatologist, and describes the story as, “an anti-fairy tale – a romance for adults, for people who have scars.”

Patrick Marber explores the paradoxes and contradictions of contemporary romance with brutal frankness; his script is a benchmark in contemporary theatre, speaking to the craving for absolute honesty and raw emotion but at the same time critical of this impulse.

“It’s romantic love versus real love,” says Wessel Pretorius, who plays Dan. “How people try to create the narrative of romance without the complicated truth of it.” The rest of the cast agree, “It rings true to people who want so badly to be loved completely, to be able to tell the truth and still be loved.” adds Electra Nathania, who plays Alice, the young waif and catalyst of the story.

Director Kim Kerfoot won the Fleur du Cap’s Rosalie van der Gucht prize for best new director in 2013 for his production of Statements after an Arrest under the Immorality Act. “Closer is such a densely layered text, with a fascinating take on structure. I’m drawn to stories about people and the fucked up stuff between them. It speaks to our generation – it’s not pretty, it’s raw in its views about sex and love.”

Closer is the third play written by English playwright Patrick Marber. The play was premiered at the Royal National Theatre’s Cottesloe Theatre in London in 1997. Rights for this production were secured by arrangement with DALRO (Pty) Limited.

Closer

Drama | Running Time: 95 minutes

By Patrick Marber, directed by Kim Kerfoot, per­formed by Electra Nathania, Wessel Pretorius, Lesoko Seabe & Albert Pretorius, sound by Gideon Lombard, design by Jon Keevy.

•  5^th November – Preview 8pm R40 all tickets
• 6^th November – Opening 8pm R80 / R60 all concessions
• 7^th – 9^th November – 8pm R80 / R60 all concessions
• 12^th November – Half-price Tuesday 8pm R40 all tickets
• 13^th – 16^th November – 8pm R80 / R60 all concessions
• 19^th November – Half-price Tuesday 8pm R40 all tickets
• 20^th – 23^th November – 8pm R80 / R60 all concessions

To reserve tickets follow this link to Nitric’s secure booking system. For all concessions including the Tuesday R40 special reserve online by selecting “Pay Later” and pay cash at the door. (I know it says R80, but just don’t pay it any attention.)

The Intimate Theatre is at 37 Orange Street, Gardens, Cape Town. Enter at the Orange street / Rheede street intersection and park on UCT’s Hiddingh campus.

To download images of the production follow this link, and if you want to put up a poster of our show there are 4 A3 pdfs in there too, one of each of the actors. We’d really appreciate the support.

For more information email closer@jonkeevy.com