Jennie Reznek to Return to the Stage with I TURNED AWAY AND SHE WAS GONE in Cape Town and at the National Arts Festival

South African theatre legend Jennie Reznek returns to the stage in her hugely popular production, I TURNED AWAY AND SHE WAS GONE. There will be four special performances of this acclaimed one-woman show at the Magnet Theatre in Cape Town, after which the production will transfer to the main programme of the National Arts Festival in early July.

I TURNED AWAY AND SHE WAS GONE poetically explores the passage and cycles of life of three generations of women - mother, daughter, grandmother, and the relationship we all have with our past, present and future selves. In this captivating reworking of the Demeter-Persephone story, Reznek takes the audience on a journey of discovery of the bonds that connect mothers and children: the cycle of daughters transforming into mothers and then ageing parents and the inevitable loss of life.

Commenting on why she thinks the show connects with contemporary audiences so deeply, Reznek says:

I TURNED AWAY AND SHE WAS GONE is a human story that examines the relationships we have with ourselves. In addition to the incredible responses I received from the females who watched the show, I was fascinated and heartened to hear that male audience members had found much that resonated with them, either for themselves or about the women in their lives.

Written and performed by Reznek, the production excitingly reunites the stellar core creative Magnet Theatre team: director Professor Mark Fleishman (THE SHOW'S NOT OVER 'TIL THE FAT LADY SINGS, VOICES MADE NIGHT), designer Craig Leo (LONDON ROAD, WAR HORSE) and choreographer Ina Wichterich (CARGO, BIKO'S QUEST). The original score for I TURNED AWAY AND SHE WAS GONE is by Blk Sonshine's Neo Muyanga (THE FLOWER OF SHEMBE, MEMORY OF HOW IT FEELS), who is the featured artist at the National Arts Festival this year. Videography is by Sanjin Muftic.

This Magnet Theatre production has been nominated for six awards: four at the prestigious Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards (Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, Best Performance In A Revue, Cabaret Or One-Person Show, Best New South African Script and Best Sound Design, Original Music Composition or Original Score) and two at the Naledi Awards for Best Cutting Edge Production and Best Original Score.

Magnet Theatre has been at the forefront of the theatre industry for 30 years, creating groundbreaking educational programmes and South African productions that have toured nationally and abroad to acclaim across four continents and twenty-four international festivals.

I TURNED AWAY AND SHE WAS GONE runs from 29 June - 1 July at 19:30, with a matinee on 1 July at 14:00 at Magnet Theatre in Observatory, Cape Town. Tickets cost R120 with concessions for scholars, students, pensioners and groups of ten or more at R60 a ticket. There is a two-for-one "mothers and daughters" special on 29 June. Booking can be made through Webtickets, with further information from Nomsa on 021 4483436.

The National Arts Festival run takes place on 7 and 8 July at Graeme College. Tickets cost R80, with a concession price of R70, and can be booked through the National Arts Festival's website.