Award-winning Quirky Love Story WHISTLE STOP at the Baxter this Summer

Under the meticulous direction of Frances Slabolepszy, the award-winning duo and real-life couple, Ameera Patel and Jaques de Silva, bring the acclaimed comedic two-hander WHISTLE STOP to the Baxter Golden Arrow stage, for a short season this summer.

The beautiful and quirky love story forms part of the Baxter's festive season line up and is ideal entertainment for the highly popular, usually sold out New Year's Eve party on 31 December when all the shows start later on that night.

WHISTLE STOP is a bold and original work written by Patel herself. A playwright, storyteller and actress, she penned the play after completing her Masters in Creative Writing with a distinction at Wits University. She has won a PANSA new writer's award for the play and the production earned a Silver Ovation award at the 2014 National Arts Festival, where it played to capacity houses. Earlier this year, it played to sold out houses and it was listed as one of the top 30 grossing shows at the 2016 National Arts Festival. Patel, who was also featured as one of The Mail & Guardian's 2016 Top 200 Young South Africans, says of the piece:

I've always been interested by relationships and the energy that exists between two people which is visceral and yet invisible. It is a magnetism that draws us towards each other in one instant and then with single flip can repel just as strongly. It was this push and pull that I wanted to explore in WHISTLE STOP. What causes the attraction? And more interestingly, what causes the reverse? Communication or rather miscommunication, in all its various forms, showed itself as quite a complex and often humorous answer.

WHISTLE STOP is the exploration of a single meeting between a man and a woman on a park bench. The idea of love features in this brilliant play about the excitement and fear of meeting someone new. It sensitively and charmingly explores modern urban relationships and is a tribute to the work of the legendary British playwright and actor Steven Berkoff.

Through a combination of cutting, rapid-fire dialogue and intense physical embodiment, the text explodes off the stage and takes the audience on a comedic rollercoaster ride through past, present, and future possible relationship dilemmas.

De Silva and Patel are no strangers to the stage. Patel's theatre highlights include performing in VICTORY, ROMEO AND JULIET, HAMLET, MACBETH, OEDIPUS @ KOO-NU and SCORCHED. Earlier this year Ameera was nominated for a 2016 Naledi Award for Best Supporting Actress for CINCINATTI - SCENES FROM CITY LIFE.

De Silva has worked on various productions including GRIEF, LAKE, MAKING MANDELA, IN MY END IS MY BEGINNING, SCORCHED and LES CENCI. He was also part of the team that received the Naledi Cutting Edge Award and the Standard Bank Gold Ovation Award for THE BUTCHER BROTHERS.

WHISTLE STOP runs for two weeks only from 20 December to 7 January at 20:00, with two 16:00 matinees on 24 December and 7 January. On New Year's Eve, the performance will commence at 22:30 and this is followed by the party, when audiences will converge on the Baxter's foyers to sing and dance with some of their favourite stars. Ticket prices will be varied to include the show, a complimentary glass of bubbly or orange juice and the traditional balloon drop. The live band, under the musical directorship of Camillo Lombard, will get the party going and light meals will be on sale.

Bookings are online through Computicket, by phone on 0861 915 8000, or in person at any Shoprite Checkers outlet. For discounted corporate or group block bookings, fundraisers or charities contact Sharon Ward on 021 680 3962 or Carmen Kearns on 021 680 3993 during office hours.

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