| What: Stirred not Shaken Writer: Susan Hayden Performer: Lynita Crofford Director: Natasha Sutherland When: November 5-15, 2025 Where: Galloway Theatre at The Waterfront Theatre School, Cape Town Bookings: Quicket |
๐๐ญ๐ข๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐๐ค๐๐ง – ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ – ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ง – ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ – ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐
Lovely to be at the opening, last night, November 5, of Stirred not Shaken, a new play by Susan Hayden, at the Galloway Theatre at The Waterfront Theatre School. The comedic play is on November 5-15, 2025 and stars the sassy and fabulous Lynita Crofford, with direction by Natasha Sutherland.
This whimsical and reflective play is performed with zest and energy by Crofford. We see Cat, a 60 something woman – discarded by her husband after a long marriage. โWas I too much or not enoughโ, she asks. This is something many can relate to – no matter the age.
A yellowwood table and two chairs is like another character in this wryly observed narrative, excavating a construct of marriage and love, with the woman giving her all for husband and children. The long table has two chairs and the absence of Catโs daughters (immigrated) and husband is palpable. It is just her re-calibrating her empty nest with the table a physical manifestation of the past but also a marker of how she navigates the future. You know what is probably coming in this story but it still comes as a slap, as it does for Cat. It stirs her juices – with saucy, spicy sexy images.
Lots of mirth in this tale, with a bite. I could almost taste the food that Cat speaks about – even though I donโt eat meat. The recipes sound great.
Afterwards, there was much discussion, with people talking about women they know, who have been discarded by their long term spouses. I heard some horror stories.
A lot to crunch on in this funny and entertaining play with an enchanting protagonist, played by Crofford, with finely tuned direction by Natasha Sutherland, activating the spaces โ emotional and physical โ with the table as container, nest, plinth, podcast broadcast arena.
โณ Lynita Crofford in Stirred not Shaken. Pic: Jeremeo le Cordeur
