Lefra Productions' OOM SCHALK, GROTMAN and LIEWE HEKSIE to Play in Repertory at the Roodepoort Theatre

Lefra Productions will present a series of shows in repertory at the Roodepoort Theatre this November, showcasing three productions that performed to packed houses at the recent Clover Aardklop National Arts Festival. Audiences can see Paul Lückhoff in OOM SCHALK LOURENS SE MAMPOERSTORIES, Hannes Muller in GROET DIE GROTMAN and Ana van Achterbergh in LIEWE HEKSIE.

Seasoned actor Paul Lückhoff - who currently plays Oom Wimpie in BINNELAND - is South Africa's new Oom Schalk Lourens, Herman Charles Bosman's iconic narrator of his immortal stories about the Marico district. OOM SCHALK LOURENS SE MAMPOERSTORIES was launched at this year's Clover Aardklop National Arts Festival,, with Lückhoff being directed by Frans Swart, who has also translated and adapted Bosman's stories for this production. A national treasure, Bosman's Oom Schalk Lourens has, over the years, been a beloved character on South African stages. Patrick Mynhardt played Oom Schalk Lourens for years, while the character and his stories were reinvented by Tara Notcutt, Mathew Lewis and Andrew Laubscher in the ground-breaking MAFEKING ROAD. David Muller donned the mantle of the character in OOM SCHALK: FROM THE HEART, while BOSMAN'S PATRIOTS has toured the country with its multi-media journey into the heart of the character and his creator. But in all of these adaptations, Oom Schalk has spoken English and it is in OOM SCHALK LOURENS SE MAMPOERSTORIES that the character speaks in Afrikaans for the first time in history.

On his translation and adaptation of the material, director Swart says: "I worked with Patrick Mynhardt for years and Oom Schalk Lourens has always fascinated me. Oom Schalk Lourens is a master storyteller, but also a person who loves the Great Marico and its people. He is also very fond of Mampoer and women. Herman Charles Bosman outlined his character so well and his stories are so well written that you feel like you're in the Groot Marico. Add the amazing talent of Paul Lückhoff and you have a hit production. Paul understands the art of storytelling and he has undergone a complete transformation to become Oom Schalk Lourens!"

GROET DIE GROTMAN, the Afrikaans adaptation of Rob Becker's highly successful comedy, returns for one final run during Lefra Productions' repertory season in Roodepoort. GROET DIE GROTMAN is a comic exploration of the differences between men and women and how those differences cause the two sexes to misunderstand one another completely. This one-man show has played in sold-out theatres across the world for the past two decades and holds the record for the longest running solo show in Broadway history. It is currently being performed in more than 20 countries in 15 various languages, including German, Czech and Icelandic.

Koos Kombuis has translated and adapted the play into Afrikaans, and Hannes Muller plays the role of the "Grotman" under the direction of South African acting legend, Sandra Prinsloo. For Prinsloo, the challenge in directing the play was to make GROET DIE GROTMAN a unique theatre experience. "We gave our own interpretation to the play, set it within the South African context, yet kept to the essence of Becker's original show. We had lots of fun, and we believe audiences will enjoy it just as much as we did."

Lefra Productions has been touring with productions of LIEWE HEKSIE since 2009. Since then, two brand new Liewe Heksie stories have been created and the youngsters of Roodepoort should come around to the Roodepoort Theatre to visit Liewe Heksie and her friends. Verna Vels, the creator of Liewe Heksie, passed away earlier this year, having completed a new story especially for Lefra Productions shortly before her death: LIEWE HEKSIE EN DIE TUINDWERGIE. "I had always wanted Heksie to meet a garden gnome," said Vels, "and wanted to see what Heksie would do with a garden gnome. And believe me, I'm sure she will get into trouble again! Our friends will have to come and see what Heksie gets up to with Casper, the garden gnome."

Playing alongside LIEWE HEKSIE EN DIE TUINDWERGIE will be LIEWE HEKSIE EN BOTTERBLOM, which tells the story of Botterblom, a lonely cow who is the supplier of all of Blommeland's milk. But when Karring, the goblin who owns her, refuses to let her have any friends, Botterblom gets lonely and angry and refuses to produce any more milk.

The company of LIEWE HEKSIE includes Ana van Achterbergh as Liewe Heksie, Botha Enslin (Kwaaitjie Kabouter, Mattewis, Geelheks, Borrie, Griet and Karel Kat), Lechelle Lerm (Blommie Kabouter, Koning Rosekrans and Kerrie) and Phillru van Achterbergh (Casper, Borrie, Karring Kabouter and Klein Kwaaitjie).

GROET DIE GROTMAN will be performed on 19 and 21 November at 8pm, OOM SCHALK LOURENS SE MAMPOERSTORIES will be performed on 20 November at 8pm, and LIEWE HEKSIE will be performed on all three days at 11am. Bookings for the Lefra Productions repertory season at the Roodepoort Theatre can be made through Computicket (0861 915 8000). Discounted group bookings can be made directly through Lefra Productions (011 815-3000).

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