BWW Special Feature: Happy Second Birthday to Cape Town's Play Club!

Last Sunday, Play Club celebrated its second anniversary with a reading of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, Christopher Sergel's stage adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Play Club is a monthly event in Cape Town that was initiated by Drew Rienstra with the vision of building a community among theatre lovers, including actors, theatre-makers, filmmakers, educators, critics and theatre audiences. Starting in November 2012, Play Club has hosted a series of readings of both classic and new plays including Douglas Carter Bean's THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED, Mike Daisey's THE AGONY AND ECSTASY OF STEVE JOBS, Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE and Tony Kushner's ANGELS IN AMERICA. Typically, Play Club events begin with an icebreaker, after which the script of the month is read - with some members reading parts, others serving as a panel of commentators and everyone else listening as the play - and concluding with a spirited and engaging discussion on ideas that emerge from the reading of the piece.

Play Club has quickly found a niche in the hearts of many of its members, with several regulars mingling with a host of newcomers for the TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD event. Attending the colour- and gender-blind reading were Aidan Whytock (who read the role of Atticus Finch), Jess Sutton (Scout), Rowan Studti (Tom Robinson), Candice van Litsenborgh (Mrs Dubose/Heck Tate), Tamryn Spiers (Stephanie Crawford/Mr Gilmer), Laura Bosman (Calpurnia), Shannyn Fourie (Miss Maudie), Steve Howard-Tripp (Jem), Bryony Bosman (Dill), Callum Tilbury (Bob Ewell), Justin Wilkinson (Reverend Sykes), Kelly Stephenson (Mayella Ewell), Jacqui Wigg (Court Clerk), Mark Wijsman (Judge Taylor) and Richard Wright-Firth (Walter Cunningham). I read the part of Arthur "Boo" Radley, and Drew Rienstra read the stage directions. For this special birthday event, every person attending was allocated a part to read, and the cast doubled as the discussion panel after the reading.

Most people have read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD as some point in their lives as Lee's novel is popular as a prescribed literary work all over the world. Sergel's dramatic adaptation foregrounds the narrative of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell, in 1930s America. Many key scenes from the novel are recreated, including Tom's trial and the episode in which Atticus has to face a mad dog, but the narrative thread focusing on the children's relationship with the reclusive Arthur "Boo" Radley is relegated to subplot status. In another key change from the novel, the plot is framed by narration not by Scout, but by Miss Maudie, one of the elderly residents of the town.

Despite the changes made in the adaptation of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, the piece still had great resonance for many Play Club members. One regular, Jacqui Wigg, commented, "I enjoyed this classic, which remains highly relevant in SA today in its exploration of our fear of 'otherness' despite the passing of time and difference in geographical setting."

Newcomers Justin Wilkinson and Callum Tilbury's reactions similarly emphasised the relevance and timelessness of the play. "I really loved it," said Tilbury. "It is such a touching story, based on strong characters and universal themes. It's hard not to fall in love with Scout and Atticus."

Of his experience of the reading, Wilkinson remarked, "I likened it to what has happened in our own country during the time of racial struggle. The characters are all somewhat complex and the storyline is indeed compelling."

Some criticism was also levelled at the adaptation, with Laura Bosman, considering whether play lived up to the book: "I disliked the ending and I didn't entirely get to the flesh and grit and gore of Atticus probably, because this was a reading and not in any way visual." Bosman nonetheless "loved" Aidan Whytock's reading of the role.

For my part, I felt that a key problem in the adaptation was the choice to shift the narration from Scout to Miss Maudie, with the play perhaps not staying true to the Lee's exploration of how prejudice is a learned behaviour, and that a child's coming of age is a key step in how prejudice manifests in one's behaviour as an adult.

Candice van Litsenborgh drew together those thoughts by reflecting on the play in the context of Play Club: "I felt it was one of the more successful cold reads we've had in terms of telling the story. While it's not necessarily the best script we've done, it translated well as a read piece, helped along by Drew's sound and music. It's always good when everyone wants to keep talking about it afterwards. Not every play is going to be something you would choose to pay to watch. Adaptations from novels always suffer from "the book was better" syndrome, but I think it served Play Club well for discussion and there were some beautiful first proposals for characters. And a few surprising new talents, which is always great to see."

Van Litsenborgh's comment also starts to chip away at what exactly Play Club is, a notoriously complicated description to put into words. Play Club's official website offers several alternatives: 'the ultimate book club for theatre folks', an 'informal reading series, with no agenda other than encouraging community and great writing' and a place for 'passionate and engaging conversation.'

But Play Club also means different things to different people, a fact to which the words of some of its many alumni attest.

An experienced actress like Van Litsenborgh might view Play Club as an extension of her training, "a monthly master class that focuses on my cold reading and listening skills as well as my ability to make strong initial character choices." She continues, "The likelihood of me ever playing most of these characters is small, to say the least. But in this forum, I often get to explore characters that wouldn't be obvious choices for me. There are also the social and networking aspects of Play Club which make it a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Recent graduate Tilbury, who majored in theatre-making at the University of Cape Town's Drama Department, sees Play Club as "a space that makes great texts available and accessible to people, by giving them as accurate as possible an experience of the play from listening to it being read."

On the reading of the pieces, which attempt to capture the thrill of an initial table read, Wigg - who works in publishing - adds, "I enjoy the unrehearsed energy of the reading of the play. The energy is raw and the atmosphere is spontaneous. Actors are encouraged to make 'play' in this safe space."

Wilkinson, who works in theatre production, also picks up on the networking opportunities that Play Club provides: "To me, Play Club is an opportunity for performers, producers, playwrights and other practitioners of theatre to participate in an afternoon of passionate playing! It's where likeminded people get together for fun!"

Bosman, who head up the Dramatic Arts department at one of Cape Town's prominent high schools, takes things a step further: "Play Club is without doubt my church. It's the place where I feel unconditionally accepted and encouraged and supported to be whatever I am in all my crazy glory. It's the place to explore words and thoughts and performance and just be immersed in the beautiful world of acting."

Actress Tamryn Spiers, who also works with ACT Cape Town, perhaps best sums up the spirit of Play Club in just a couple of words: "It's community."

Becoming a part of the Play Club community is as simple as attending one of Play Club's upcoming events, which include David Sedaris's THE SANTALAND DIARIES, adapted by Joe Mantello (on 14 December 2014 at 4pm), Tennessee Williams's THE GLASS MENAGARIE (on Sunday 18 January 2014 at 3pm) or David Alan West's THE PERFORMERS (on Sunday 15 February 2014 at 3pm). For further information, visit Play Club's official website or Facebook page, or contact Play Club via email on info@playclub.co.za.