MOFFIE Runs at Artscape Theatre Now thru 31 January

MOFFIE, a dance play about love, loss, survival, sexuality and violence, opens today, January 27 at Artscape Theatre for a short run of 6 performances.

Based on the novel written by André Carl van der Merwe, MOFFIE has been choreographed by Bailey Snyman, the 2012 Standard Bank Young Artists Award winner for Dance, and features a formidable group of dancers. This production was performed for the first time in 2012 at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, followed by a performance as part of DANCE UMBRELLA 2 at the Arts Alive Festival at the Market Theatre.

The award-winning novel deals with the brutality of trying to survive as a gay conscript in the South African National Defence Force in the early 1980s, a long overdue story about the emotional and physical suffering endured by countless young white men when military conscription was part of their lives.

MOFFIE is presented by Brett Gage and the Matchbox Theatre Collective, which was founded by Bailey Snyman and Nicola Haskins. Snyman and Haskins, former members of the First Physical Theatre Company, launched the dynamic and innovative Matchbox Theatre Collective in June 2006. Having trained in physical theatre, mime, contemporary dance, theatre design, acting, dance culture and education this partnership aims to promote dance and theatre education at a variety of levels as well as focusing on industrial and community theatre. Since its conception the Matchbox Theatre Collective has embarked on various choreographic, directorial, education and performance endeavours in Gauteng and the Western Cape.

Bookings for the highly controversial and acclaimed MOFFIE are through Computicket or Artscape Dial-a-Seat 021 421 7695. This work is profoundly disturbing and difficult to watch, therefore an age restriction of 10 years is advisable.