'Life is about reinvention': Kim Engelbrecht makes long-awaited return to the stage

Celebrated South African actor Kim Engelbrecht is making a return to the stage in April.

The star is known at home particularly for her TV work - remember for instance her roles as Lolly in 'Isidingo', and Sergeant Noma Banks on 'Dominion'.

She also stars in MNet's hit drama series Reyka, which bagged her an international Emmy nomination for best actress and won the SAFTA for best TV drama (Reyka 2) earlier this month.

Engelbrecht is proud of the fact that this South African production has earned global recognition.

"It was South African-made with a wonderful cast and production team; the story was rooted here and wouldn't have worked anywhere else... so it was one of those amazing, magical things that just happened." 

In her latest venture, the actress is returning to theatre work with A Woman Alone at Cape Town's Suidoosterfees arts festival which kicks off in April.

The dark comedy written by Italian playwright Dario Fo and his wife and fellow-performer Franca Rame explores themes of isolation, resilience and female strength in the face of societal oppression.

Engelbrecht said that she started looking for a theatre piece she could do on her own back in 2013, and this work for her addressed topics we are very rooted in as females, not only in SA but all over the world.

As she added that it's about a woman wrapped up and basically trapped in domesticity.

"You don't really know who she is, and as the play continues she reveals a little bit more about herself. You find out that she has a husband she has no connection with, kids to whom there is not much of a link... she's got a strange man that's watching her, a strange guy on the phone with her, a lover she's trying to get rid of..."

"Then you start to realise, oh my gosh she's trapped physically in this house, but in another way also trapped in her gilded cage. She's got everything she could have possibly wanted in life but at the same time she's got nothing. Sometimes as women we make a series of decisions that trap us...  and how do we get out? Or we just sit there with a smile and we pretend."

The actor said that she was attracted to the script because it is funny, but at the same time dark and provocative.

She also feels that, in essence, it is deeply South African as well.

"We have a lot of things we're going through and we can still smile and laugh about them. And I think as women we really say 'I can carry it all; I'm a woman'."

 As a "TV and film girl", returning to the boards is a huge challenge, Engelbrecht says, and one she relishes.

Returning to the stage is a huge challenge, because it's a place she's not always most at home, Engelbrecht acknowledges.

"I think life is all about reinvention and seeing everything as a new beginning and a new chance; approaching new things with a bit of a beginner's mindset. I think that's what I'm doing with this play. It's something I'm just jumping right into with open arms - you won't know what could happen until you try and you really give yourself a chance."

A Woman Alone is on at Artscape's ATKV Arena Theatre from 30 April until 2 May.

Tickets are available from Webticktets.

To listen to Kim Engelbrecht in conversation with Sara-Jayne Makwala King on CapeTalk's Weekend Breakfast, click on the audio link below: