Sjaka S. Septembir se gedigte het – nes tequila – skop. Seks, liefde en die dood word belig wanneer digkuns, musiek en fisieke teater saam gesnoer word. Gertjie Besselsen (van Mr. Cat and the Jackle ) is die donker figuur aan die stuur van die musiek. Die kunstenares Isabelle Grobler bring haar visie na die verhoog en Sandra Temmingh sweis dit alles saam in haar minimalistiese styl. Sjaka se astrante bekgeveg-digkuns, klets komedie en fisieke teater flonker donker saam in hierdie buitengewone produksie.

Sjaka S. Septembir’s slam poetry style performance SKOP! Combines Isabelle Grobler’s physical performance and Gertjie Besselsen’s music and creates an extraordinary production. Sjaka is no new voice to poetry. His street poet days are captured in a documentary called PORSELYNNKAS . Come and see for yourself why this poet was labeled as “the bastard of poetry” in Afrikaans circles. The themes of sex, love and death are artfully sown together by Sandra Temmingh as director.

Sjaka S. Septembir se astrante bekgeveg-digkuns, klets komedie en fisieke teater flonker donker saam in hierdie buitengewone produksie. Sjaka is nie ‘n nuwe stem in die arena van uitvoerende digkuns nie. Kom kyk self wat steek agter die aweregse kunstenaar oor wie se Stellenbosch straat digter dae daar ‘n internasionale dokumentêr gemaak is.
 Sjaka S. Septembir has been performing and writing poetry for 25 years. Due to the extreme nature of his performances during the late 90’s he was labeled the ‘bastard of poetry” in the Afrikaans circles. He is an actor, writer, director and producer. His Graphic Novel Bal-Oog en Brommel - Moord In Ixiastraat launched at the Open Book Festival last year and was turned into a theatre piece which toured to the Woordfees, KKNK and will be at the Alexander Bar from 28 May - 2nd of June Gertjie Besselsen is the frontman of the band Mr. Cat and the Jackal. His Afrikaans music show "Bessel sen" has just been nominated for a Hanna award. He can also be seen in Ba l-Moog en Bromide SE Moor In Australasia as the live music and soundscape creator. Gertjie Besselsen needs no introduction when it comes to theatre - Slegs Vir Almal, Die Vlammende Fez and Die Storm - are just a few productions he has under his belt.

Isabelle Grobler is an internationally known artist. Her next solo exhibition will be in London in June. She has an interest in live performance which she started to explore through workshops in the art of clowning. The simplicity of her choices for this production amplifies the poetry and music to a level where every member of the audience becomes emotionally drawn in without even being able to understand the language or the poetry. Sandra Temmingh is a master at directing. Having spent a lot of time in Germany, their minimalist theatre style has strongly influenced her work. She has been in the industry since the 80’s and most of what today’s directors still have to learn she has already forgotten. Theatre is part of her soul. Photo

Media & Reviews

Audience Responses

Excellent show. Actors were amazing. Loved every minute! Well done :-)

I was on a media ticket so here is my review: http://www.brainwavez.org/culture/reviews/2018/20180524001-01.html

Thank you Sjaka for all that you put into this - from your poetry and your heart to your hands carrying the crates of your props and equipment up Strand Street after the show as you patiently struck your set with your fellow performers who shared the space with you last night; this kind of work rarely gets a look-in in Cape Town theatres - but 'everything is worth writing if the soul is not small' and that's exactly what you did. Evocative and brooding with a real sense of a wasteland and a little Parzifal journeying on through all this, finding the Grail Castle in a supermarket aisle and not having the sense of self to sommer ask 'what's wrong' and restore everything. How rare to see work so much in step with guiding myths without prodding comparisons - or preaching.