Cape Town’s Magnet Theatre is set to host the riveting production, Snapped, written by Jennie Reznek and directed by Mark Fleishman. This two-hander play, which first graced the Baxter Theatre two years ago, is back to captivate audiences with its touching exploration of grief, relationships and the enduring human spirit.
Snapped weaves together two poignant stories: one follows a woman grappling with the loss of her father, while the other delves into the life of a young South African stretcher-bearer from the Cape Corps, killed in action during World War II and left in an Italian grave, separated from his family forever.
Audiences can expect a heartwarming and at times humorous journey through themes of life, death and the complexities of grief. Jennie Reznek, the play’s author, describes it as a meditation on these profound human experiences.
Drawing loose inspiration from Dante’s Inferno, where Dante is guided through Hell by the poet Virgil, Snapped features the stretcher-bearer as the woman’s guide, leading her through the hellish landscapes of WWII and her father’s past.
This production boasts a stellar creative team, including Craig Leo (set design and shadow puppetry), Leigh Bishop (costumes), Neo Muyanga (sound design and score), Kirsti Cumming (videography), Ina Wichterich (choreography), and Themba Stewart and Mark Fleishman (lighting design).
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These talented individuals have been behind other outstanding productions such as Antigone (not quite/quiet), I Turned Away and She Was Gone, Cargo, and Rain in a Dead Man’s Footprints.
Snapped is deeply personal to Reznek, as it has been in the making since her father’s passing 16 years ago.
Following her earlier work, I Turned Away and She Was Gone, which explored the mother-daughter relationship in response to her mother’s death, Snapped is considered a companion piece that delves into a woman’s profound connection with her father and the challenges of coming to terms with his absence from her life.
It also incorporates a wealth of photographs and films left by Reznek’s father, a decorated captain in the Medical Corps who was also the official photographer for the Natal Carbineers during WWII.
The title, Snapped, reflects the significance of photographs as lasting remnants of people’s lives, preserving their meaning even after they’ve departed. Light and dark are central motifs, with light symbolising the capture of images and darkness representing emptiness, absence and loss.
Snapped celebrates the enduring power of human creativity to navigate the most challenging aspects of the human condition. With a fearless exploration of mortality, this production promises to be a captivating, moving and thought-provoking experience that meanders and spirals, much like the journey of grief itself.
Don’t miss the chance to witness this extraordinary theatrical work at Magnet Theatre.
Details:
- Location: Magnet Theatre, 1 St Michaels Rd, Observatory
- Dates: 6 to 23 September
- Tickets: Here
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Picture: Magnet Theatre