A South African expat obtains a working visa and becomes a night watchman in the National Gallery in London. He shares his story of growing up gay in a small South African town and ultimately finding himself despondent and disillusioned at life as a freelance actor in a foreign country. As we follow his night patrol, some artworks come to life and start telling us their stories, too. Their stories all have bearing on the life of our protagonist – as their semiotics are filtered through his imagination.

We meet him well into his first year, bored, broke, single and still not much wiser.  We follow him on a night shift as he patrols the gallery.  He tells us his story – an everyman memoir about growing up gay in small town South Africa, discovering his passion for theater, his move to the city, his relationship with his boyfriend and finally the year abroad where he fell in love with a refugee and came to re-evaluate art – spending long hours watching over it.  

The question of art’s purpose and power, it’s private and personal relevance to those who find catharsis and meaning in it, the role of the artist and storyteller and the holiness of beauty all come into play in this ironic but endearing satire of modern man’s relationship to art.

BIOS

Wessel Pretorius
Wessel Pretorius was born in 1986 in Nigel and grew up in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. He obtained his BA drama degree at the University of Pretoria and his honours in acting at Stellenbosch University. In 2010 he represented the Stellenbosch Drama Department in Den Haag doing a six-week workshop with De Appel. He made his professional debut later that year at Aardklop with Korte Mette Met die Versamelde Werke Van William Shakespeare directed by Hugo Theart for TEATERteater. Other highlights include Yasmina Reza’s Art (directed by Marthinus Basson) Christiaan Olwagen’s ‘Politik Trilogie’: Woza Andries?, Vagina Dentata and Ubu and the Secrecy Bill, P.G. du Plessis’ ‘n Seder val in Waterkloof (directed by Albert Maritz), N is vir Neurose (Olwagen), his self-penned solo show Ont-, Boetie Dis Tyd Vir Bid As ’n Seekoeikoei Op Jou Skoot Kom Sit for the Klein Libertas Teater directed by Juanita Swanepoel, David Greig’s Die Monster In Die Gang (translated and directed by Hennie van Greunen), Saartjie Botha’s Balbesit (directed by Jaco Bouwer) and Albee’s Wie’s Bang Vir Virginia Woolf? (directed by Christiaan Olwagen). In 2013 Van Greunen translated Ont- as Undone for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Shakespeare’s Richard III (directed by Lara Bye), Boesman, My Seun (written and directed by Deon Opperman) and Waterpas which he also wrote and was again directed by Olwagen. He has previously written, starred in and directed Die ontelbare 48. Last year he wrote and directed I Love You Sally Field, which had a very successful run at the Alexander Upstairs. Wesse received a Fiesta award nomination for Ontelbare 48 as well as a Fleur de Cap nomination for I Love You Sally Field.

Media & Reviews

"Wessel Pretorius has tapped into a highly imaginative parallel universe with art reflecting our perceptions of it back to us with a twist of humour, irony and deep pathos."

Review of "Renaissance" by Megan Furniss

Audience Responses

Excellent production with a brilliant writer/director and 3 exceptionally talented actors!

This was a fantastic show, there were 6 of us and we all loved it!

Acting good.

Some of the most versatile acting I have ever seen. Excellent!

I loved Renaissance. Wessel Pretorius is a genius. This is a wonderful script - really an art piece commenting on art. The show is funny, intelligent humor. The actors had wonderful energy between them, but I was really impressed by the physical comedy of David Viviers and Jazzara Jaslyn. Comedic timing is everything, and Viviers nails it. The different "faces" of Jaslyn are equally impressive. She was saying so much with her face. Incredibly funny. The "Mary monologue" done by Jaslyn is probably my favourite part of the show. So cleverly written, so funny. Len-Barry Simons is gorgeous, and the chemistry between him and Jaslyn is wonderful particularly in the opening scenes of the show. This is the second show I have seen at Alexander Bar with exceptional writing in last three weeks. This is just wonderful.

Absolutely Brilliant! Witty, funny, clever. Loved every minute of it!

Jazzara is a magical performer!

I had ready sent an email saying that we had wonderful evening before I saw this email. The bar service was excellent as well, the only downside was the beef hamburger. Next time I will try something different. I will definitely keep an eye out for the next good show. Well done and thanks to all who made it a wonderful experience. Dawn

Superb text, well acted. It was a joy to experience.

See review in the Argus later this week (if Paul gets the photos from you!)

I found it VERY good

Very well done. Only suggestion is that the patron warnings should have included "brief exposure to second hand cigarette smoke".

A delight! I wanted to curl up next to it and cuddle with it. And not just the actors. Although, that would also be nice. But seriously: a sadly beautiful and sensitively told story. Well done, you clever folk.

Brilliant!

Imagining the inner life of the characters in paintings was a good idea, but it didn't develop. The security guard actor was weak, the female actor excellent. The worst part was a few audience members who I assume may have been friends of the cast who guffawed loudly and extensively at weakly amusing lines and then moaned in fake empathy when any pathos was shown by the cast which was distracting and essentially hijacked the performance. Not sure what you could have done about it though.

An entertaining script. Well directed and a good standard of performance from the cast, which created a meaningful rapport with the audience.

Superb production - excellent script and well directed. Resisted possible temptation to over-dramatise and exploit imagery, and relied on the script, actors and simple design to deliver an outstanding production

Really enjoyed the show! I want to congratulate you guys with your amazing set up! I have an actors agency, Stella Talent, and am ever so thankful for the platform that you have created for our local talent. But what is even more amazing, is the fact that you are almost sold out every time I come to see a show! Thank you and well done!

original, surprising... toying with the Afikaner caricature is thin ice territory though...

Excellent production with a brilliant writer/director and 3 exceptionally talented actors!

It was great! Very enjoyable, clever play.

Alexander Bar-Food,Shows and Service always great! The restaurant is a bit tired-some tables are wonky and some chairs and stools tired. If you want to charge premium prices, I expect premium comfort.

Wonderful combination of excellent acting, complex characters and focus on art.

The performances of all actors were great, especially the art works! I quite enjoyed the contrast between the protagonist's mundane life and love interest and the heavy struggle going on below the surface, as portrayed by the dark, depressing art works. However, I wonder if the plot perhaps had some more meat to it, if the contrast might be more noticeable, as I found the plot to be a bit weak.

A clever script magnificently performed by a wonderful cast. Loved it. This 'proposal' more than 'bearly' made up for the 'lover' recently entertained on the premises! Thank god Pinter and Chekhov are dead but lets celebrate the living vibrancy of Wessel P.

It is a beautiful play. I want to watch it again!

Superb script - original, witty and thoroughly entertaining. The acting was also of a high calibre. Overall - funny, intelligent and often moving. We thoroughly enjoyed the production.

Everything was amazing.

Brilliant. Very entertaining.

Renaissance was wonderful! I found myself deeply involved in the play, it took a hold of me and moved me through light-hearted humor into existential uncertainty!

Superb text and stellar performances. MoreWessel Pretorius, please!

Brilliant.!

I liked it a lot. Hilarious, poignant, imaginative, clever.

It was fresh entertaining one was engaged right to the end

It was amazing!

Stimulating play well directed, neatly performed. I really applaud the presentation of local work of this quality. You set a high standard and the companies that occupy the space seem well aware of it. Good theatre and good service to the theatre - speaks volumes!

Sumptuous.

I am a regular customer of Alexader Bar and the theatre shows. The quality of acting is often outstanding. Unfortunately, it has been the third time that one of the actors was smoking during the performance. It gives me headaches and I find it utterly unpleasant and unnecessary. In future I will call BEFORE and ask if someone is smokung during the performance and only if not, make my booking.

My two daughters and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It reminded me of the old Space theatre in Loop Street (or Long?) which I regularly attended in the 70s and 80s and where my family and I watched some excellent plays.

Superb production - excellent script and well directed. Resisted possible temptation to over-dramatise and exploit imagery, and relied on the script, actors and simple design to deliver an outstanding production

We really enjoyed the writing and acting of Renaissance. The script was well written, humorous in the right parts and serious when need be. The female actress was great. The staging, lighting and technical very good. The playwright has a strong future. We thought the second male lead maybe over acted a wee bit but perhaps it was his role and lines?

Loved it! Clever, original and sharply funny - sexy too.