Photo Flash: Impi Theatre Company Presents The World Premiere Of THE SOUTH AFREAKINS – THE AFREAKIN FAMILY

Funny, dark, and deeply poignant, The South Afreakins - The Afreakin Family, explores the highs and lows of one ordinary yet extraordinary family's immigration story from desegregated South Africa to stress free living in New Zealand. But what of home and those left behind?

In this new show, which gets its world premiere at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, actor and writer Robyn Paterson ups the ante and convincingly play 4 different characters: Mum Helene, Dad Gordon and warring twins Rachel and Kelly.

Set in present day, parents Gordon and Helene are joined by sisters Rachel and Kelly on the day when the family reunite to celebrate Gordon's 70th Birthday. The South Afreakins - The Afreakin Family offers audiences a witty yet achingly raw look at real family life. Old tensions, misunderstandings, regrets, jealousies, longing, choices made, fairness and unfairness are all up for debate as emotions erupt not unlike Helene's extravagant chocolate lava birthday cake.

South African born actress Robyn Paterson has been a professional playwright and actress for over 14 years in theatre, film and television in Australia, New Zealand and London. Credits include The Generation of Z (site-specific, London), and Channel 4's Anzac Girls. Her first one-woman show Introducing Anna had a sell-out season at Auckland's Basement Theatre in New Zealand. Her second play, Mooi River, was third place in the New Zealand 'B4 25' Playwriting Competition. Her other work, including the full length play The World's First Fight, was shortlisted for The New Zealand Playmarket Adam Playwriting Award in 2015 and her most recent play The Radio Interview was shortlisted in the 2015 British Theatre Challenge. Robyn stars in globally released 2019 LBGTQ film Same But Different set in New Zealand.

The Impi Theatre Company is comprised of recent graduates from London's top dramatic universities including Royal Holloway University, Kingston University, and London South Bank University. These graduates have experience in the performance industry, working with London artists and theatres but are using Edinburgh Fringe 2019 and The South Afreakins and The South Afreakins: The Afreakin Family as a springboard to launch their careers as professional industry practitioners, supported by Robyn Paterson who graduated from the Unitec School of Performing Arts in 2009 and The Neighbourhood Playhouse School of Theatre in New York in 2011.

The South Afreakins - The Afreakin Family runs alternately alongside The South Afreakins at theSpace on the Mile throughout August.

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