The madcap Raiders shows by irrepressible playwright and actor Nicholas Ellenbogen have been an institution at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival for years and are almost impossible to get tickets for, so it is something of a privilege that Ellenbogen has penned one especially for East London.
This week he and his locally sourced cast were deep in rehearsal at the Guild Theatre for Raiders of Buffalo River, a wacky romp very loosely based on East London’s history which will be staged at the Umtiza Arts Festival this weekend.
In true Raiders style, egg-beaters become torpedoes and Coke bottles transform into submarines, taking the audience on a hilarious ride.
Ellenbogen even travelled to East London with his Tiger Moth Aardvark aeroplane which once again takes centre stage in this 29th instalment of Raiders.
After two shows of Raiders of Buffalo River at the Guild, Ellenbogen and his “bits and pieces” props will head to Grahamstown where his Raiders of the Caribbean will no doubt be a sell-out.
“I was really thrilled to be asked to come to the Umtiza Arts Festival, but it’s just before the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown where I have such a loyal following and I didn’t want to short-change them, so I wrote Raiders of Buffalo River last month.”
Ellenbogen, who has written more than 150 plays and is acclaimed for his Theatre for Africa work, said he loved researching East London’s history.
“The internet was useless, so I spoke to some old people. I came here on holiday in the ’50s, so I am also one of the old people! East London has a rich history and I used bits of its old folklore, urban legends and old war secrets,” said Ellenbogen, who hung the play on a German submarine hiding out in the Buffalo River during the war.
“It’s about a pilot who flies mail from Cape Town to Durban and spots the U-boat in the river, but no one believes him except his girlfriend, Mari Biscuit. Together they must foil the Nazi submarine and its commander Rudy Knipple.”
Working with East London actors Cameron McEwan, Charne van den Berg, Marcel Corson, Mzimasi Dyakopu, Loyiso Pita, Pieter Taljaard and Natalie Oberem has been a thrill.
“I adore my cast. They are as strong as any cast I use for Grahamstown. Some of them should be pros.”
Ellenbogen has delved into the city’s quirky history to craft his zany play, but he has his own personal history with East London.
“I married my wife, Liz Szymczak, in East London Magistrate's Court 42 years ago. We were in a play called Playboy of the Western World and she didn’t want to be in an illicit relationship anymore.”
lThere will be two shows of Raiders of Buffalo River – on Saturday and Sunday at noon. Tickets cost R85 at Computicket. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Special madcap ‘Raiders’ treat created for EL fans
This week he and his locally sourced cast were deep in rehearsal at the Guild Theatre for Raiders of Buffalo River, a wacky romp very loosely based on East London’s history which will be staged at the Umtiza Arts Festival this weekend.
In true Raiders style, egg-beaters become torpedoes and Coke bottles transform into submarines, taking the audience on a hilarious ride.
Ellenbogen even travelled to East London with his Tiger Moth Aardvark aeroplane which once again takes centre stage in this 29th instalment of Raiders.
After two shows of Raiders of Buffalo River at the Guild, Ellenbogen and his “bits and pieces” props will head to Grahamstown where his Raiders of the Caribbean will no doubt be a sell-out.
“I was really thrilled to be asked to come to the Umtiza Arts Festival, but it’s just before the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown where I have such a loyal following and I didn’t want to short-change them, so I wrote Raiders of Buffalo River last month.”
Ellenbogen, who has written more than 150 plays and is acclaimed for his Theatre for Africa work, said he loved researching East London’s history.
“The internet was useless, so I spoke to some old people. I came here on holiday in the ’50s, so I am also one of the old people! East London has a rich history and I used bits of its old folklore, urban legends and old war secrets,” said Ellenbogen, who hung the play on a German submarine hiding out in the Buffalo River during the war.
“It’s about a pilot who flies mail from Cape Town to Durban and spots the U-boat in the river, but no one believes him except his girlfriend, Mari Biscuit. Together they must foil the Nazi submarine and its commander Rudy Knipple.”
Working with East London actors Cameron McEwan, Charne van den Berg, Marcel Corson, Mzimasi Dyakopu, Loyiso Pita, Pieter Taljaard and Natalie Oberem has been a thrill.
“I adore my cast. They are as strong as any cast I use for Grahamstown. Some of them should be pros.”
Ellenbogen has delved into the city’s quirky history to craft his zany play, but he has his own personal history with East London.
“I married my wife, Liz Szymczak, in East London Magistrate's Court 42 years ago. We were in a play called Playboy of the Western World and she didn’t want to be in an illicit relationship anymore.”
lThere will be two shows of Raiders of Buffalo River – on Saturday and Sunday at noon. Tickets cost R85 at Computicket. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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