Director Frans Swart Takes Over Hennie Smit's Role in MY BOETIE SE SUSSIE SE OU at Aardklop

The well-known actor and singer, Hennie Smit, who is currently playing the role of Dêda in Lefra Productions's MY BOETIE SE SUSSIE SE OU, was admitted to hospital six weeks ago for double pneumonia. Smit, who played Bertie in EGOLI for many years, subsequently broke a rib because of all the coughing and complications set in when the rib punctured his lung. Smit is currently still in the Intensive Care Unit of the Wilgers Hospital, where his condition is described as serious, but stable. Consequently, Frans Swart, the director of MY BOETIE SE SUSSIE SE OU, will take over Smit's role for the run of the play at this year's Clover Aardklop National Arts Festival in Potchefstroom.

Swart had to jump into the role quickly during the recent run of MY BOETIE SE SUSSIE SE OU to take over the part when Smit initially fell ill. He says that Smit was very sick and that they could not risk letting him go on stage at the State Theatre:

Hennie's health was most important to us and we did not want to make any decisions that would jeopardize it. Hennie was very sick, but we are pleased to say that he is getting better and better every day.

Seeing that the it happened in the middle of the State Theatre season, Swart had very short notice to take over the role. He says:

It was a terrifying experience. We had three hours to rehearse before Saturday's three-hour show. I had the advantage that I had done the directing, but then you never cast yourself in one of the parts. The rest of the cast were an incredible in helping me to play Dêda. The production had been running for seven months already and the rest of the team was nicely played in and could give me some wonderful guidance on stage. Hennie had already created such an exceptional character, that I played Dêda just as he had created him. Fortunately, Dêda is senile and pees in the closet - so I could get away here if the lines weren't exactly as they appear in the text. But look, I just too it on and ran with it!

Swart completed the run at the State Theatre and also stood in for Smit for the season at the National Theatre in Windhoek. Swart muses on whether it gets easier each time he goes on stage:

No, I don't think so. Every night is a nail-biting business, but I have crawled under Dêda's skin and started enjoying the character.

Smit commened from his hospital bed and said that he feels like a soldier that has let down his men in a war.

The pneumonia and rib me really caught me off guard. And all the coughing hurt my ribs. I am eterntally grateful that our director, Frans Swart, he jumped in and saved the production. I also want to say thank you for all the wonderful messages that I have received from across the country,

MY BOETIE SE SUSSIE SE OU will be performed at the Totius Hall on 9 October at 8pm; 10 October at 9am, 2pm and 7pm; and 11 October at 9am. Bookings are through Computicket on 0861 915 8000 or www.computicket.com, as well as at the two Computicket sales points at Aardklop, which are situated at the main entrance of the festival grounds and on Loop Street.

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