The Red Coat Tales

The Red Coat Tales is a pantomime by Belinda Harward ().

The original text

The basic storyline concerns a red coat which does the rounds before eventually falling into the hands of Paracelsus, encompassing the tale of a humble circus tailor who finds that his lot in life is unbearable despite a loving and caring wife and sells his soul for power. The wife stays loyal and true to him however and with the help of her friend the magician proves that good can triumph over evil.

Set in Durban, past and present, the piece takes the characters from the suburban streets of present-day Durban to the beachfront. From an agricultural fair in Pietermaritzburg to early Grey Street, and finally to The Great Circus - the world of Paracelsus, where the final showdown unfolds.

First performed in 2002.

Performance history in South Africa

2002: Performed at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre in December, directed by Peter Court, with Peter Court, Clare Mortimer, Darren King, Neil Coppen, Tessa Denton, Belinda Chapman, Adhir Kalyan, Joel Zuma, Hlengiwe Lushaba, Stacey Taylor and others. Auditioned young students from five top Durban dance studios also performed. The musical director was Dawn Selby, with choreography by Coral Chamberlain, lighting design by Michael Broderick and stage and set design by Clare Mortimer and Peter Court (the latter also designed the costumes.

Sources

Review of The Red Coat Tales by Caroline Smart, ArtSmart (2002-12-11)[1]

Review of The Red Coat Tales, IOL (Dec 4, 2002)[2]

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