Interview: Siya Mayola Discusses Win at the FLEUR DE CAP THEATRE AWARDS and More

Fresh from his Best Supporting Actor win at the 57th FLEUR DU CAP THEATRE AWARDS on Sunday 27 March, Siya Mayola sat down to chat to us about win, life through the pandemic, and his future.

BWW: Firstly, congratulations on your Fleur de Cap Theatre Award! Has it sunk in yet that you're a winner?

Siya: Has it sunk in? I think now as the week draws to a close, it has definitely sunk in with everyone in my close circle and social circle congratulating me on the achievement. I've been told many times I tend to downplay my achievements and speaking with a great friend of mine during the week really reframed my thinking. So since last Sunday, every morning, I've been waking up and realising it even more.

BWW: Tell us about your time playing Willie in MASTER HAROLD... AND THE BOYS. What did you find most challenging? What did you enjoy the most?

Siya: It's funny, when the nominations came out, I was reflecting on things back in 2019 when the audition call went out. I was feeling a little reluctant to audition for theatre pieces as I wanted to focus more on some more film and TV work. But, with the right nudge from my lovely agent Samantha Bernhardi, I went to the audition. I was very surprised when the call came in that I got the part and chance to work at The Fugard and at that time I didn't know who my other co-stars would be.

A month prior to our first rehearsal, I had gotten hold of the play and started to get familiar with text and trying map out his journey. Willie doesn't have as much dialogue as the other characters but is present alongside them. I was keen to see how everything would come together. As they say in the theatre, there's no such thing as small parts.

I needed to be present and go along the journey with the other characters as well, engaging on what was happening, what's being said. That was one of the challenges I'd say, because on paper for Willie it seems there isn't much for him to do, but as we started getting on that stage, I started finding ways of staying connected with the others and listening. Listening and reacting to what is said.

What did I enjoy the most? Two years later reflecting on my time with MASTER HAROLD, I enjoyed the whole process of working with so many talented people from costume to lighting, to the director and actors at The Fugard was one of those dreams one would love to accomplish one day. Then you find out that you working with one SA's acting greats in Desmond Dube along with the talented Kai Luke Brummer, fresh off the film MOFFIE. It was wonderful.

The Fugard Theatre has been known to showcase quality work over the years and being an audience member for so many great shows, KING KONG, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, I SEE YOU, to name a few. So, it was a privilege to be a part of a production there and join the many talented people who have graced that stage. It's also bittersweet that we were the last show to ever run there before it shut down, with MASTER HAROLD... AND THE BOYS being one of Athol Fugard's most celebrated plays and based off his own story as well.

BWW: The run of the play was cut short due to COVID. That must've been a big disappointment for everyone involved.

Siya: Indeed, it was very disappointing, and it [COVID] resulted with the theatre closing its doors. The production was appreciated by the audience, and we would've loved to have completed our run in Cape Town. It would've been great to see it touring the country or even go overseas.

Who knows what could've come from that If COVID didn't happen? To this day, many people are slowly recovering from the effects of the COVID pandemic, which has disrupted everything and threatened many people's livelihoods in the process.

BWW: What have you been up to during lockdown the last two years?

Siya: Sometimes it feels like it hasn't been two years but four years or longer. But we couldn't have predicted how things were going to turn out when lockdown happened and the effects it's had on people. I know personally I'm still working through things brought on by that period, which makes one aware of their mental health and environment.

Early in lockdown, I had finished writing a screenplay which I wanted to produce as my first feature under my production company Paxinos Productions. One of my dreams is to develop the film sector within Port Elizabeth by producing films and TV, helping create an industry and jobs in film.

After finishing that script, I planned to start writing another project which I had support from the NFVF but with everything that was going on, creative endeavours unfortunately got impacted and the process got slowed down. The work of a creative entrepreneur never stops so we are slowly moving to begin work on those projects again.

In terms of acting, the main highlight last year was that I had the chance of being directed by legend Dr John Kani in two of his iconic plays, SIZWE BANZI IS DEAD and THE ISLAND, playing Styles in SIZWE and reprising the role of John in THE ISLAND. We toured in Joburg at the Joburg Theatre and schools, performing both plays as a double bill sometimes.

Having self-produced and performed in THE ISLAND for many years in the past, doing SIZWE BANZI IS DEAD was another creative endeavour I wanted to tackle. Having the opportunity to do so and being directed by one of the originators of the material and one of South Africa's iconic theatre practitioners and actors in Dr John Kani, was such a rewarding experience for me. One that I will cherish for years to come.

BWW: And lastly, what can we expect from you in the future? Any new projects you can fill us in on?

Siya: I'm always eager to get to work on quality material that can get me excited and scared to do, working with talented people. Talented people that I can always learn from as I'm always looking to pick up a few new things along this wonderful journey that is life. But at this point in time, nothing concrete is on the table but some conversations are being had.

There are personal film projects as a producer and writer I'm trying to get off the ground but timing is everything so I must make sure that those story ideas are in a great spot. Also, for many years I've been wanting to tackle the American play THE SUNSET LIMITED by Cormac McCarthy where I can exercise and play with my American accent too, but it hasn't been the right time yet. Being a part of an OTHELLO production one day too hopefully would great. I'm also very keen to find out what the future holds.

Photo credit: Supplied