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Renos Nicos Spanoudes chats to Multi-award winning doyenne of the cabaret stage, Amanda Strydom, who wrote “State of the Heart” in 1993 and won the Dalro and Showtime awards for Cabaret of the Year and Show of the Year.
”State” was the first of her six self-penned one-woman plays to date, in which she integrates a storyline with music to create a one-woman musical theatre experience. This iconic piece of musical theatre has reached cult status through the years and it gives Strydom great pleasure to celebrate the 30th birthday of “State of the Heart” at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Studio.
This timeless love story gently pokes fun at the Afrikaner soul and gives a glimpse of the history of South Africa from the twenties to the late seventies. It was a time when women had to know their place, peroxided their skins (because freckles were considered typical) and men wore braces and smoked Springboktwak and Boeremeisies had to marry Boereseuns.
The heroine, Maxie de Meyer (a boeremeisie) falls in love with Raymond G. Bartlett (a dashing rooinek) who also happens to be an R.A.F fighter pilot – and a drama in the tradition of Springbokradio serials unfolds.
“Indeed, this is the most delightful cabaret I have seen…en dis sommer alles te lekker! ” – Derek Wilson, Argus
“It is thrilling, gloriously sentimental and totally absorbing. It leaves one’s heart singing.” Gill Lord, Cape Times
“…’n aand soos ek lanklaas beleef het! ” Egbert de Waal,Die Burger.
“In State of the Heart she not only reaffirms her status as a cabaret performer nonpareil, but she also shows that she’s an exceptionally gifted writer. State of the Heart represents the emergence of a real writer of South African theatre. Wonderful stuff” Richard Simpson, The Citizen
“She is an entertainer of the highest order.” Andile Xaba, The Star
Strydom sings in English, Afrikaans, French, German, Dutch and Zulu and is accompanied by her long-standing pianist and musical director, the brilliant Coenraad Rall.