53 Degrees

A physical theatre piece by Jennie Reznek.

Subject
It tells the true story of Florrie Berndt who nursed lepers on Robben Island. In 1928, as an 18-year-old, she took part in the first official swim from the island to the mainland and battled the currents for over 13 hours before exhaustion forced her to quit. The race, which featured 14 competitors drawn from both sexes, was won by 15-year-old Peggy Duncan, the only person to finish the swim in the icy conditions - the play's title refers to the water temperature (53 degrees Fahrenheit, which translates to 10 degrees Celsius). (Douglas Carew, Saturday Weekend Argus 2003)

Performance history in South Africa
Premiered at the Grahamstown Festival in 2002, directed by Mark Fleishman, with Jennie Reznek, Gosekwang Poonyane and Gary Naidoo.

Staged by Magnet Theatre in the Intimate Theatre at UCT in March 2003, directed by Mark Fleishman, with Jennie Reznek, Gosekwang Poonyane and Gary Naidoo.

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