By BRUCE DENNILL
Translated into Afrikaans and directed by Nico Scheepers, Tien Duisend Ton brings together two of South Africa’s foremost talents in Albert Pretorius and Cintaine Schutte, who star as a couple seriously considering procreation in the face of imminent extinction. Pretorius stars as the unnamed male character, simply referred to as ‘Man’.
Live performance: the thrill versus the nerves – where are you on that curve as a new show starts? How do you find a balance during rehearsals or other preparation?
I actually had this discussion with someone a few days ago. He had to pitch things every day in boardrooms and the nerves and anxiety was something he couldn’t fathom about the acting profession. Why make a living from being anxious all the time? And I told him the difference is this: yes, there are nerves, but the excitement always trumps that. The nerves are gone by the second page of dialogue. Brand new shows always carry more nerves because you have no idea if what you are doing is going to work or not, but excitement always wins.
In a best-case scenario, what are you looking for in a role? What is the main basis for that decision – the script, the people involved, the challenge to your skills, the impact (positive or negative) it might have on your life in general, or perhaps something else?
Acting is often a vocation, a thing you can’t not do. How true is that for you now? Has it changed over the years – for practical, perhaps banal reasons? And how do you, or would you like to, keep your calling front and centre in your life?
What are the toughest expectations to deliver on – all the way from the first audition to the end of the run?
Tell us about your current production, and what makes your character interesting to play?
