South African Debut for Mike Bartlett's CONTRACTIONS at Alexander Bar Upstairs Theatre

Mike Bartlett's 2008 satire CONTRACTIONS will have its South African premiere at the Alexander Bar's Upstairs Theatre this month. Directed by Greg Karvellas, the hour-long play will be performed by Emily Child and Janna Ramos-Violante. The play was first performed at London's Royal Court Theatre.

In CONTRACTIONS, Emma has been seeing Darren and thinks she is in love. Her boss, on the other hand, thinks that she is in breach of contract. Through this situation, the play explores the transformative dynamics of the corporate world and, quite literally, the limits we are willing to put on the company we keep.

Director Greg Karvellas has for the past ten years worked as a director, producer and production manager in both theatre and television. With his long time collaborator, writer Louis Viljoen, he has co-produced THE ABUSERS, THE BILE BOYS, THE FRONTIERSMEN and CHAMP, the latter of which he also directed. His most recent directing credit is Joshua Harmon's BAD JEWS, which enjoyed a season at The Fugard Theatre at the end of last year and runs at the Auto & General Theatre on the Square this month.Karvallas is the General Manager and Associate Producer of the Fugard Theatre.

Karvallas has previously worked with CONTRACTIONS actress Emily Child on A CERTAIN LADY, a one-woman show based on Dorothy Parker's short stories, and CHAMP. Child graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2007 and has worked both independently and as a member of acclaimed Cape Town-based theatre troupe, The Mechanicals. Her work has garnered her numerous awards and nominations including the 2015 Fleur Du Cap Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Play for Louis Viljoen's THE PERVERT LAURA. Other theatre projects have included William Shakespeare's LEAR, URBAN DEATH and BORN IN THE RSA.

Janna Ramos-Violante graduated in 2005 with a degree in Drama and Performance Studies and German Translation. She has since been working professionally as an actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, writer and producer, appearing in DANGEROUS LIAISONS, BOSTON MARRIAGE, OLEANNA, GUYS AND DOLLS, OTHELLO, DON'T DRESS FOR DINNER, VENUS IN FUR, DOUBT, CONSTELLATIONS, MISS DIETRICH REGRETS and THE IMAGINED LAND. Under the banner of her own theatre company Thinskin, Ramos-Violante has produced original works like MEIN SOLDAT and CALLUM'S WILL.

CONTRACTIONS runs from 25 - 27 January and 1 - 13 February at the Alexander Upstairs at 19:00. Tickets cost R90 if booked and prepaid online at the Alexander Bar's website, or R100 if paid for at the theatre itself. Tickets can also be purchased at the bar, which is situated at 76 Strand Street in Cape Town's city centre, anytime during its regular opening hours. Under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Keep up to date with events at Alexander Bar on Facebook and Twitter.

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