Klara van Rooyen
Klara is a Cape Town-based creative with a life-long interest in theatre and literature. In 2021, she completed her BA Honours degree in Drama & Theatre Studies at Stellenbosch University, specialising in Children’s Theatre and Puppetry. The year prior, she double-majored in BA Drama & Theatre Studies and BA English Studies, graduating cum laude in both. She has written and self-produced theatre productions in Afrikaans and English over the past three years. She currently serves as a Publishing Assistant to the Fiction and Children’s Books department at NB Publishers. She is the youngest member of the Theatre and Dance Alliance's National Steering Committee and is dedicated to supporting local art and creating a sustainable industry. She also enjoys telling stories using paper; be it through illustrations, crankie shows, origami, or papier-mâché.
MOST POPULAR ARTICLES Review: A Kaleidoscope of Afrikaans Queerness In MY HART IS 'N MUURBAL (EN ANDER GEDAGTES)March 17, 2023  Review: THE SECRET GARDEN Blooms at The Star TheatreDecember 14, 2022  Review: STAR+CROSSED: A New South African MusicalDecember 18, 2022  Interview: Louis Viljoen and Emma Kotze return to the Cape Town stage with THE GRASS WIDOWJanuary 19, 2023  Review: THE GRASS WIDOW Ensnares and Entertains at The Baxter TheatreFebruary 5, 2023  Review: Catharsis and Reflection in HE HAD IT COMINGDecember 2, 2022 |
Review: PATISSERIE FEMME's Deliciously Baked Feminism
March 28, 2023
The discourse surrounding feminism looks different than it did a few years ago. This is of course natural and unavoidable, but with the recent backlash of the MeToo movement and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States, one wonders where things might be going. And what better place to look than in the minds of young women? PATISSERIE FEMME, a recent production at The Drama Factory and Theatre Arts, offers exactly this.
Review: Fresh theatre at the ZABALAZA THEATRE FESTIVAL at the Baxter
March 27, 2023
The Baxter's foyer was packed on Saturday night for the opening of this year's ZABALAZA THEATRE FESTIVAL. It is the festival's 13th year, and according to its Artistic Director and Curator, Mdu Kweyama, the core team started their planning in May of last year. One can imagine that this festival must be a beast to manage, boasting a total of 200 artists and 40 productions. The festival's schedule is fully packed, and the opening night was used to present snippets from each production.
Review: A Kaleidoscope of Afrikaans Queerness In MY HART IS 'N MUURBAL (EN ANDER GEDAGTES)
March 17, 2023
It's 2023 and homophobia in South Africa still rears its ugly head in our cultural landscape far too often. Although on paper South Africa seems to be a haven for LGBTQ+ members, it is still a challenge for many queer Afrikaners to reckon with their identity and feel accepted. MY HART IS 'N MUURBAL (EN ANDER GEDAGTES) presents a celebrative and varied perspective on this experience without sacrificing its entertainment value.
Review: THE GRASS WIDOW Ensnares and Entertains at The Baxter Theatre
February 5, 2023
Watching THE GRASS WIDOW at the Masambe Theatre feels like visiting a well-kept secret. Sitting in the intimate auditorium, elbow-to-elbow with other audience members, the anticipation is palpable for Louis Viljoen's latest production.
Review: SONGS OF SHAKESPEARE at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre
January 27, 2023
'Gosh, I haven't been here in years,' a fellow audience member uttered with glee at Maynardville's SONGS OF SHAKESPEARE. Shakespeare in the Park is back in Cape Town, and it is a return to form for many local audience members. Sitting between the trees, underneath the starlight, Jose Dias guides the audience on a journey through the Bard's influence on the world of music, making the experience nothing short of magical.
Interview: Louis Viljoen and Emma Kotze return to the Cape Town stage with THE GRASS WIDOW
January 19, 2023
It's a brand-new year, and Cape Town's theatre scene (and weather) is warming up. Looking at the line-up, it's impressive to see the variety of productions offered. If your viewing palate thirsts for something darkly comedic, Louis Viljoen's latest production, THE GRASS WIDOW, promises to quench that desire. Louis and his leading lady, Emma Kotze, sat down with us to give an exciting glimpse of their new show.
Review: STAR+CROSSED: A New South African Musical
December 18, 2022
STAR+CROSSED follows the interwoven tale of Billy and Bess. Bess, who is based on Elizabeth Klarer, meets Billy one evening on Flying Saucer Hill in the Natal Midlands. The two children form a connection that spans nine decades, from 1910 until 1994. Billy and Bess' stories are intertwined but also juxtaposed by one another.
Review: THE SECRET GARDEN Blooms at The Star Theatre
December 14, 2022
What did our critic think of THE SECRET GARDEN at The Star Theatre?
Review: Catharsis and Reflection in HE HAD IT COMING
December 2, 2022
March 28, 2023
The discourse surrounding feminism looks different than it did a few years ago. This is of course natural and unavoidable, but with the recent backlash of the MeToo movement and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States, one wonders where things might be going. And what better place to look than in the minds of young women? PATISSERIE FEMME, a recent production at The Drama Factory and Theatre Arts, offers exactly this.
Review: Fresh theatre at the ZABALAZA THEATRE FESTIVAL at the Baxter
March 27, 2023
The Baxter's foyer was packed on Saturday night for the opening of this year's ZABALAZA THEATRE FESTIVAL. It is the festival's 13th year, and according to its Artistic Director and Curator, Mdu Kweyama, the core team started their planning in May of last year. One can imagine that this festival must be a beast to manage, boasting a total of 200 artists and 40 productions. The festival's schedule is fully packed, and the opening night was used to present snippets from each production.
Review: A Kaleidoscope of Afrikaans Queerness In MY HART IS 'N MUURBAL (EN ANDER GEDAGTES)
March 17, 2023
It's 2023 and homophobia in South Africa still rears its ugly head in our cultural landscape far too often. Although on paper South Africa seems to be a haven for LGBTQ+ members, it is still a challenge for many queer Afrikaners to reckon with their identity and feel accepted. MY HART IS 'N MUURBAL (EN ANDER GEDAGTES) presents a celebrative and varied perspective on this experience without sacrificing its entertainment value.
Review: THE GRASS WIDOW Ensnares and Entertains at The Baxter Theatre
February 5, 2023
Watching THE GRASS WIDOW at the Masambe Theatre feels like visiting a well-kept secret. Sitting in the intimate auditorium, elbow-to-elbow with other audience members, the anticipation is palpable for Louis Viljoen's latest production.
Review: SONGS OF SHAKESPEARE at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre
January 27, 2023
'Gosh, I haven't been here in years,' a fellow audience member uttered with glee at Maynardville's SONGS OF SHAKESPEARE. Shakespeare in the Park is back in Cape Town, and it is a return to form for many local audience members. Sitting between the trees, underneath the starlight, Jose Dias guides the audience on a journey through the Bard's influence on the world of music, making the experience nothing short of magical.
Interview: Louis Viljoen and Emma Kotze return to the Cape Town stage with THE GRASS WIDOW
January 19, 2023
It's a brand-new year, and Cape Town's theatre scene (and weather) is warming up. Looking at the line-up, it's impressive to see the variety of productions offered. If your viewing palate thirsts for something darkly comedic, Louis Viljoen's latest production, THE GRASS WIDOW, promises to quench that desire. Louis and his leading lady, Emma Kotze, sat down with us to give an exciting glimpse of their new show.
Review: STAR+CROSSED: A New South African Musical
December 18, 2022
STAR+CROSSED follows the interwoven tale of Billy and Bess. Bess, who is based on Elizabeth Klarer, meets Billy one evening on Flying Saucer Hill in the Natal Midlands. The two children form a connection that spans nine decades, from 1910 until 1994. Billy and Bess' stories are intertwined but also juxtaposed by one another.
Review: THE SECRET GARDEN Blooms at The Star Theatre
December 14, 2022
What did our critic think of THE SECRET GARDEN at The Star Theatre?
Review: Catharsis and Reflection in HE HAD IT COMING
December 2, 2022
