Review: THE UNLIKELY SECRET AGENT is back on in Cape Town at the Baxter

This run of THE UNLIKELY SECRET AGENT brings with it some new energy in the form of two new cast members. It's quite exciting to get to see the same play, which is still fairly fresh in my memory, with new faces and new ideas for characterisation. It must've also been a fun challenge for the existing cast members to work with new people.

Last year, I reviewed the debut of this production, which has since gone on to receive 8 Fleur du Cap nominations and won the award for Best Director. This year, the play has returned to the stage with Wessel Pretorius in the role of Ronnie Kasrils and Carlo Daniels replacing Sanda Shandu in the supporting cast.

The structure of the play, with the beautifully simple staging and dramatic lighting plot, has remained. However, the performances have started to morph and become more nuanced as the remaining actors have become more comfortable in their roles. The new actors have also brought another dimension to the various characters they play. I was particularly impressed with how impish the character of Ronnie became through Pretorius's playful nature. The chemistry between him and Erika Marais as Eleanor Kasrils is great.

I do still wish that the movement back and fore between the chairs down the side of the stage for the male actors was lessened, especially in the second act. It starts to become a bit laboured, in my opinion. However, I did like the new spin on the placement of the projections that has come about in the staging at the Baxter. Instead of being confined to a square stage, the team is using the Golden Arrow Studio space really beautifully for this run.

If you missed out last year or earlier this year, make sure you get to the Baxter this week to catch THE UNLIKELY SECRET AGENT!

Photo credit: Jeremeo le Cordeur

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