JAMES CAIRNS DOUBLE BILL – “THE SITTING MAN” & “DIRT”
4commentsOne-man-show dynamo James Cairns is back at KBT after too long a gap. Renowned for his tour-de-force one man shows featuring multiple characters, Cairns presents a double bill at the Kalk Bay Theatre in August and September 2010.
From Wednesday 4 to Saturday 21 August, he will perform his acclaimed solo show “The Sitting Man” and from Wednesday 25 August to 11 September he presents his new comedy, “Dirt”, hot from its premiere at the National Arts Festival.
“This is the first opportunity Cape Town audiences have to see this master of the stage in “Dirt” as well as in “The Sitting Man”,” says Simon Cooper, owner of the Kalk Bay Theatre. “It’s a coup for us to have secured James to perform both shows during August and September, although each one will run for only twelve performances, so tickets will be limited.
“Cairns’ breathtaking style of theatre sees him effortlessly jump between numerous characters, deftly using props to switch settings and move the story along. His acute observations of people ensures he artfully captures each one of his interesting, and often shady, characters, and he can take the audience from laughter to tears in a few swift moves, while keeping them on the edge of their seats as the story unfolds,” says Cooper. “As the website Artsblog said, ‘Cairns is so good at what he does it’s almost ridiculous’.”
“The Sitting Man”, which Cairns also wrote and directed, has been playing to rave reviews and full houses around the country. The play follows the journey of a mysterious package that needs to get from Johannesburg to Cape Town. During the course of its wild, cross-country trip, Cairns creates a range of fascinating South African characters from different walks of life, including dodgy gangsters and innocent bystanders. “The Sitting Man” has been hailed as ‘Extremely powerful’ (Cue), ‘Flawlessly played out… a must for people watchers. ‘ (Cape Argus) and ‘… Intense and mesmerising performance…… biting humour’. (Cue).
“Dirt, described by Cue as ‘a riot of a play’, encompasses a similar road trip theme, but this time in the form of three friends and a dog named Tom who need to get to a funeral. From the soap star actor Sam, with an ego the size of Everest, to the exhausted new father Grant, who’s terrified of his post-natal wife, and to Wayne, a man whose life has fallen through the cracks but who hasn’t realised it yet, Cairns inhabits his comical characters with hilarious effect and takes the audience on a journey of fights and friendship.
Written by Nick Warren, “Dirt is directed by Jenine Collocott, who also worked with Cairns’ on the touching love story, High Diving.
A writer and popular television and stage actor, Cairns’ many credits include his one man show, Rat; Hamlet, High Diving and Brother Number with Rob van Vuuren. On television he has played, among others, Pienie Mayer, the bungling news journalist in The Most Amazing Show and the role of resident hit man Gordon Crumb on etv’s Rhythm City.
* “The Sitting Man” will be performed at the Kalk Bay Theatre on Wednesdays – Saturdays from 4 to 21 August at 8h30pm. Ages 13 years and up.
*“Dirt” will be performed on Wednesdays – Saturdays from 25 August to 11 September at 8h30pm. Ages 13 years and up.
Tickets for show only cost R100. Doors open at 6pm and theatre-goers can enjoy a meal before the show. To book and for further information, contact 073 220 5430 or visit
Praise for Dirt and Sitting Man
“Dirt”
‘A riot of a play… Wonderfully crafted story’. (Aslam Seedat, Cue)
A tour de force. …… Its funny, it’s clever….. Kill to get a ticket. (Megan’s Head)
‘Master of the craft’. (Artsblog)
‘A masterful one-man comedy from the multi-talented James Cairns… A must see show.’ (Cue)
“If there was a World Cup of performing artists, James Cairns would be Wayne Rooney. His ability to dribble a narrative through the vagaries of ten characters, and then shoot the story into closure without you second-guessing the play equals, in fact probably surpasses, the fancy footwork and game-making abilities of his northern football counterpart……It’s a pleasure to see Cairns on stage.” (Artsblog)
“The Sitting Man”
‘Cairns is so good at what he does it’s almost ridiculous.’ (Artsblog)
‘Flawlessly played out… a must for people watchers..’ (Argus)
Extremely powerful’ ‘ (Cue)
‘Intense skill and a faultless performance. Every quirk and mannerism is fresh and original.’ (Cue)
‘… Intense and mesmerising performance. A shocking storyline is neatly contrasted with biting humour.’ (Cue)
