Theatre news: Multiple award winning the King of Broken Things at the Baxter, May 2024

The acclaimed and award winning The King Of Broken Things, will be staged in Cape Town in the Baxter Studio, from May 1-18, 2023. I saw this beautiful magical piece of theatre at The Drama Factory in the Strand and look forward to seeing it again. Recently it received the Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best Theatre Production for Children and Young People but it is very much for all ages. Tenderly and exquisitely performed by Cara Roberts from Michael Taylor-Broderick’s script, The King Of Broken Things is wistful and ultimately speaks to the possibility of actively transcending loss, brokeness, dislocation and finding light in the world around us. It is a masterclass in storytelling. Taylor-Broderick’s quirky design conjures up a powerful visual narrative. which charges the story beyond being a coming of age story. Read on for more about the season at the Baxter. Info as supplied:

MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING THE KING OF BROKEN THINGS FOR THE BAXTER

Internationally acclaimed and multiple award-winning The King Of Broken Things is coming to The Baxter Studio in May 2024.

Presented by Theatresmiths, the productionwill be performed at the Baxter Studio from May 1 until May 18, 2024.

Bookings can be made at Webtickets.

The King Of Broken Things received a prestigious Gold Ovation Award at the 2023 National Arts Festival and most recently, a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best Theatre Production for Children and Young People following its Cape premiere at The Drama Factory.

The King of Broken Things is a journey into the broken heart of a young boy, a journey of discovery through his experiments, projects, and creations. He teaches us that the rehabilitation of broken things includes people and hearts, and that all things, seen and unseen, can be mended.

Whether you’re 8 or 80, The King of Broken Things will rehabilitate every heart – it’s not just for young audiences.

View the trailer here

Other awards for the production include Best Achievement Award in the Family Category at Toyota Woordfees 2023; Most Emotionally Moving Award at the Assitej Cradle of Creativity Festival 2023; the Golden Dolphin International Puppet Festival 2022 winner in three categories (Best Script, Best Director, Best Actress) and a Gold Ovation Award at the Virtual National Arts Festival in 2020. The play was also invited to be performed at The Sharjah International Fringe Festival in Dubai.

The King Of Broken Things is performed by Cara Roberts, conceptualised, written and directed by Michael Taylor-Broderick, with Set Construction by Bryan Hiles. 

“The show touches on ancient Japanese traditions, mythology, and dreams, and highlights the magic that we so easily forget is everywhere,” says director Michael Taylor-Broderick. “It is a timely reminder to us all to think about the world and the repercussions of our actions, thoughts and words. And how we would do well to dwell more on the magic words – imagine, believe and dream.”

Responses to the production include:

“The King of Broken Things is profound, poignant and beautifully acted.” Estelle Sinkins, Natal Witness

“pure genius, pure magic….The King of Broken Things is one of the best pieces of theatre I have seen in a while” Billy Suter, Sosuterbill

“The King of Broken Things” is a truly mesmerising piece of theatre… sheer theatrical genius…don’t dare miss it.” Barry Meehan, Artsmart

“one of the most magical tales I have ever seen on any stage… Please do go and see The King of Broken Things”  Izak de Vries, Litnet

“The King of Broken Things will Stay in Your Heart… Cara Roberts is completely and utterly charming…” Faeron Wheeler, Broadway World

“The King of Broken Things is a beautifully realised piece of theatre – as relevant and poignant for adults as for children… An entrancing and nuanced performance from Cara Roberts, a fantastic design and wonderful, poignant writing from Michael Taylor-Broderick.” ASSITEJ

“beautifully written and marvelously played… The King of Broken Things made me remember that being awkward, different, cheerful or sad is okay. That holding my tears, laughter and hugs doesn’t make me strong, that brokenness isn’t bad, that I can be my weird little self.” Oya Yilmaz Kermani, International Jury member for the Golden Dolphin International Puppet Festival 2022

“The King of Broken Things is vermaaklik, roerend en optimisties, en word vir sowel volwassenes as kinders aanbeveel.” Anouk Cronjé, Woordfees

The King of Broken Things will be performed at the Baxter Studio from 1 May to 18 May.

Ages  + 10

Performance dates are:

May 1-18 at 20h00 (excluding Sundays)

May 4, 11 and 18 at 15h00

Tickets cost R150.

Tickets for students, seniors and block bookings of ten or more cost R130.

Bookings can be made at Webtickets

Tickets are also available at Pick n Pay Stores.

For discounted block or schools bookings , charities or fundraisers contact Carmen Kearns on email carmen.kearns@uct.ac.za and Mark Dobson on mark.dobson@uct.ac.za.For further information visit https://theatresmiths.wixsite.com/mysite

About Cara Roberts (performer)

Cara is a Johannesburg-born actress currently residing in Durban. She has graced many screens and stages since her first on-screen appearance in Durban Poison as the female lead in 2012. She played Renee in Fynbos and Mark Read in Black Sails (Season 4).

She moved to Durban and joined Think Theatre, a company producing Shakespeare works which the matriculants are studying. She has played the role of Desdemona in Othello and Ophelia in Hamlet. She has also starred in KickstArt productions, such as Charlotte’s Web, Sylvia and Little Red. Her solo show, The King Of Broken Things, where she plays a young boy struggling with the absence of his father, has been performed locally and internationally, garnering many awards. It was written and directed by lighting and theatre genius Michael Taylor-Broderick.

Cara has also performed in children’s theatre – A Froggie Fairytale and The Great Big Enormous Turnip; and extended her puppetry talents, creating The Place of Small Miracles, along with Bryan Hiles and Michael Taylor-Broderick, which spins a beautiful tale using direct contact and shadow puppetry, music and visual effects.

About Michael Taylor-Broderick (writer/director/designer)

Michael graduated from Natal Technikon with a diploma in Theatre Technology in 1993, obtaining the highest overall aggregate in the Faculty of Arts.

He was the Durban Branch Manager of Entertainment Specialists, Production Projects for 5 years before pursuing a career as a Freelance Lighting Designer in 1999. He has since become a multiple award-winning lighting designer who has experience in every theatrical medium.

Michael has been the Technical Director for the prestigious annual Hilton Arts Festival for the past 26 years and lectures on the subject of Lighting Design. Also a playwright, director and writer, Michael’s interest and involvement in such varying art forms are what keep him inspired, passionate, and relevant.

His credits include Fantastic Flying Fish Dance Company’s Grass Gardens, Off-Axis & The Suit; Opera Africa’s Rigoletto and La Traviata, Very Very Big Production’s Nunsense and Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and The Playhouse Company’s My Fair Lady and West Side Story.

His own works include ‘Jimmy Time’, ‘The Spartan and The Lullaby’, Jakob’ (NAF Fringe Ovation Winner 2020) and The King of Broken Things, the latter receiving critical acclaim wherever it has played, winning a Gold Ovation Award on the Virtual National Arts festival in 2020 (Virtual Fringe) and again in 2023. It went on to win the Best Script, Best Director and Best Female Actress Awards at the 18^th Golden Dolphin International Puppet Festival in Varna, Bulgaria and a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award.  Michael is also the brains behind “One Man One Light”, a short performance piece based on the Italian “La Linea” television series. “One Man One Light” played to packed houses at the PLASA Industry Trade Show in the U.K. and at Prolight and Sound in Frankfurt, performing 33 shows in 3 days and went on to be invited onto the Main Festival program at the National Arts Festival in 2016.

Michael is the founder of Theatresmiths, a collective of Theatre Makers dedicated to storytelling using the ‘magic’ of theatre.  He also works as a Theatre Lighting Consultant for DWR Distribution.

Bryan Hiles (set construction)

Bryan Hiles is one of Durban’s most versatile actors and has stretched his skills in a variety of styles since his introduction into theatre in 1996 with the Story Spinning Theatre (Cape Town).

He studied drama at Technikon Natal (now DUT); and paid his way, while studying, through clowning, face painting, juggling and balloon sculpting. He moved to Johannesburg after his studies, worked in educational theatre (AREPP) and musical revue (Comic Strip), returning to Durban a short while later where he has remained.

In the years since his return, he has garnered many awards for his work on stage.

Bryan has performed in almost every KickstArt pantomime since their inception, winning awards for his roles in Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Other awards include Little Shop of Horrors (Lead Actor 2008 – Seymour), Peter Pan (Lead Actor 2009 – Peter Pan), Beauty and the Beast (Supporting Actor 2012 – Lumiere) and Sweeney Todd (Supporting Actor 2014 – Tobias).

Other Musical credits include The Wizard of Oz, Into The Woods (KickstArt), Chicago (KickstArt) and Cabaret (KickstArt and Pieter Toerien Productions), for which he received a Naledi Award nomination.

He received an award for Best Solo Performance in 2014 for his one-man show Jakob, which has toured to many centres around the country.

In 2022 & 2023, he played the role of Pato in How Now Brown Cow’s production of Martin Mcdonagh’s The Beauty Queen Of Leenane.

Bryan has also been involved with many of ThinkTheatre’s Shakespearean productions, building the set for Hamlet and Othello; performing Rodrigo in Othello and Hamlet in Hamlet. He has also played Cassio in Othello, Horatio in Hamlet and Macbeth in Macbeth for The Actors Co-Operative.

Bryan has a particular interest in Children’s Theatre and (for ThinkTheatre) has performed in Marvellous Mixtures (based on Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine) and Grandpa Grump and the Magical Junkshop; and created shadow puppetry for the highly acclaimed Tin Bucket Drum and Animal Farm. He played the title role in KickstArt’s The BFG, and James in James And The Giant Peach; both based on Roald Dahl’s wonderful stories of the same name.

Along with Peter Court (Creative Madness), Bryan created the “visual poem” A Mariner’s Tale; which won Best Director, Best Performance and Best Children’s Production in 2010.

About Theatresmiths

Theatresmiths is a Durban-based Theatre company founded by Theatrical Lighting Designer and Theatre maker Michael Taylor-Broderick.

The company is a collective of theatre-makers renowned for their ability to weave beautiful stories (The King of Broken Things, Jakob, One Man One Light, The Place of Small Miracles) into their unique brand of magical realism.

✳ Sponsored content. Images by Suzy Bernstein. Supplied. Cara Roberts in The King Of Broken Things. The multi award winning, acclaimed production will be on in the Baxter Studio, May 1-18, 2024.