Green Man Flashing
A play by Mike van Graan
The original text
A satire on South African politics, clothed as a fast-paced thriller.
First published in New South African Plays (compiled by Charles Fourie) by Aurora Metro Publications in 2006. Also published as a single text by Junkets Publisher in 2010. Published in Charles J. Fourie (ed.) New South African Plays.
The text has been prescribed reading in IEB schools and in most university drama departments.
Productions
2003: First performed as a rehearsed playreading at the Intimate Theatre, as part of the PANSA/UCT Drama Department Festival of New Writing. The staged reading was directed by Liz Mills and featured Clare Berlein as Gabby, Tshamano Sebe as Aaron, Terry Norton as Anna, Itumeleng wa-Lehulere as Luthando and Ivan Abrahams as Inspector Abrahams.
2004: The play premiered on The Fringe of the Grahamstown Festival where it played to excellent houses and great critical acclaim. It then undertook a national tour, playing at the Market Theatre Laboratory, Johannesburg and at the Hilton Arts Festival. The production was directed by Clare Stopford and the cast included Jennifer Steyn, Vusi Kunene, Charlotte Butler, Sechaba Morojele and André Samuels. Mpho Mataboge (stage manager), Wesley France (lighting designer), Chantell Cairns (set and costume coordinator), and Sasha Ehlers (set and costume coordinator).
2005: Performed at the Market Theatre (with Michelle Douglas, James Ngcobo, Charlotte Butler, Sechaba Morojele and Andre Samuels), PACOFS, Bloemfontein, the KKNK festival in Oudtshoorn, and the Studio in the Baxter Theatre Centre, Cape Town (with Jennifer Steyn, Tshamano Sebe, Roberta Fox, Chris Gxalaba and Andre Samuels).
2012: Performed in the Artscape Arena Theatre and later at the National Arts Festival as part of the 7th Artscape Drama Season (along with Brothers in Blood and Just Business, both also by Van Graan), directed by Hennie van Greunen, with Anthea Thompson.
Awards
Jury Award, PANSA/UCT Drama Department Festival of Reading of New Writing, November 2003.
Nominee: Best New South African Play Produced, Naledi Theatre Awards, 2005
Nominee: Best New Script, Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, 2005
The play won the South African leg of Proyecto 34’s competition for South African and Argentinian playwrights in 2012.
Sources
Artscape Media Release: 19 June 2012.
Malan, Wilson and Fick. 2013. Now I Am Alone 2: pp.122-125.
Material held by NELM.
https://mikevangraan.co.za/plays/green-man-flashing
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