In Conversation With Bitter Winter's Playwright, Paul Slabolepszy

Going behind the scenes at rehearsals of Paul Slabolepszy’s new play Bitter Winter

Rehearsals are underway for Bitter Winter – the highly anticipated new play penned by acclaimed South African playwright Paul Slabolepszy, which premieres at Pieter Toerien’s Studio Theatre at Montecasino from February 20th – March 16th, 2025.

Director Lesedi Job and cast members Andre Odendaal (playing Jean-Louis Lourens), Oarabile Ditsele (playing Prosper Mangane) and Chantal Stanfield (playing Felicia Willemse) are delving deep into the roles, finding all the nuances and back-stories of this character-driven piece that speaks to the human condition and tells the tale of a story of resilience and discovery.

Bitter Winter offers a heartfelt exploration of the artist’s life. It celebrates the legends of South African theatre while shining a light on the new generation of rising stars making their mark on the global stage. This tender tale takes audiences along the winding, sometimes rocky road that many artists feel compelled to travel in pursuit of their dreams.

While the characters sit in an audition room, audiences are taken through the struggles and triumphs of actors who remain deeply committed to their craft despite the challenges they face. It tells the story of two actors, one at the end of a career spent mainly on the classical stage, and another starting out on his journey, the magic and the madness of this ‘make-believe’ world is on full display.

Playwright Paul Slabolepszy took time out of rehearsals for a Q&A to give us some behind-the-scenes insight into Bitter Winter.

How did the play come about?
Lizz Meiring was giving a talk at The Baxter Theatre a number of years ago, about all the vital work that the Theatre Benevolent Fund does and it was discussed about the plight of aging artists in South Africa as they reach the end of their careers.

I was asked after that talk, whether I would write a play about it and I jumped right in. Then Covid hit, but I kept working on it. I wrote the piece with Andre Odendaal in mind, who then brought Weslee Lauder in to produce. And here we are!

How were the actors chosen for the show – did you write with any of them in mind, or was it by general audition?
Having Andre in Dop I thought he would be ideal for Jean-Louis. The other 2 artists went through the audition process.

How important is collaboration to get a new work onstage, for you?
I’ve always collaborated, right back to Bill Flynn days and it’s so important, now more than ever. In many instances, it’s the only way to get a show on stage, especially a new play.

Do you feel that SA society needs storytelling with strong values, ideals etc right now, given the current state of the world?
Absolutely, for me I love writing comedy but at the same time, it’s important to deal with the issues, but to talk about them in such a way for the audience to be receptive to it.

It’s so important that people keep writing authentic stories.

Patrons are advised that the language mix in the show will be approx. 75% English, 25% Afrikaans.

Show Information:
Bitter Winter

Johannesburg

Venue:
Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Studio Theatre

Dates:
20 February – 16 March 2025

Times:
Wednesday to Friday at 19h30
Saturday at 15h00 and 19h30
Sunday at 15h00

Tickets:
From R150 – R220 via Webtickets or the Theatre Box Office (011) 511 1988
and selected Pick ‘n Pay stores

Duration:
Approx. 80 minutes with no interval

Age restriction:
PG

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