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  

𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 – 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 – 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐲𝐝𝐞𝐧 – 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐲𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 – 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝

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. “Was I too much or not enough”, 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 Cat’s 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 don’t 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 – emotional and physical – with the table as container, nest, plinth, podcast broadcast arena.

✳ Lynita Crofford in Stirred not Shaken. Pic: Jeremeo le Cordeur