THE PLAY
“If drinking’s a sin, then pour me a gin and tip my soul in the bin.”
– THE SIN DRINKERS
Award winning writer and director Louis Viljoen re-unites with broadcasting legend John Maytham and acclaimed actor Emma Kotze to tell a story of broken people and the dark truths that slither under their skins.
Frank, a practiced booze-hound and a hunter of people, tracks down his daughter’s best friend in the hopes of unearthing secrets and solving a mystery that has caused a rot in his soul. Theresa, an aimless young woman masking her regrets with debauchery and a sharp tongue, reluctantly invites Frank into her life in order to rectify the mistakes in her past. What follows is a darkly comedic, whiskey-soaked journey into the darkest parts of the
human psyche.
WARNING: This play contains explicit language and scenes of a sexual nature. No under 18s.
THE PLAYWRIGHT
Louis Viljoen - Writer/Director
Louis Viljoen is a Cape Town based playwright and director.
Recently described as “one of South Africa’s most exciting playwrights”, Viljoen’s gripping writing is known for its terrifyingly intimacy, with Marianne Thamm praising him for his “scalpel-wielding writing” that “kicks boring English into shape”.
His ghoulish style of theatre has kept audiences enthralled. He has written and produced numerous plays including, The Bile Boys, The Frontiersmen, The Verbalists, Champ, Porno 88, The Kingmakers, The Pervert Laura, Oh Baby, I’m A Wild One, The Emissary, The Eulogists, The Demon Bride, The Hucksters and most recently the acclaimed The Grass Widow and The Visigoths. He is also the writer of Rob van Vuuren’s internationally praised dark psychosexual horror comedy, Dangled, which was invited to the 2017 Brighton Fringe Festival.
Viljoen has won the Fleur Du Cap Theatre award for Best New South African Script for Champ (2013) and The Kingmakers (2015). He was the recipient of the Rosalie van Der Gucht Best New Director award for his plays, The Kingmakers and The Pervert Laura and was recently nominated for Best New South African Script for The Baxter Theatre’s production of The Hucksters and Outlaw Muckridge.
THE ACTORS
John Maytham - Frank
John Maytham is a familiar voice on the airwaves. He has been with Cape Talk Radio since its inaugural broadcast, being the first host to switch on the mic on 14 October 1997. He is currently drive-time host of ‘PM Drive' on Cape Talk.
A Rhodes trained thespian, he turned to radio journalism in 1990 after a decade as an actor, but has never lost the desire to be on stage.
His passion for performance eventually lured him back to the boards with performances in David Hare’s Via Dolorosa and Marie Jones’ A Night in November, as well as Shakespeare in Love at the Fugard, Richard III at Maynardville and Present Laughter at Theatre on the Bay. This was followed by his acclaimed performance in Louis Viljoen's The Outlaw Muckridge for which he received a Fleur Du Cap nomination for Best Performance in a Revue, Cabaret or One-Person show. Critics and audiences also praised his recent performance in Pierre Malherbe's Bucket Boy. His latest performance was as The Prince in the 2024 staging of the Geoff Hyland directed Romeo and Juliet at Maynardville.
Emma Kotze - Theresa
A UCT graduate, Emma Kotze was nominated for the 2014 Fleur Du Cap award for Most Promising Student. She has actively been pursued her passion for the arts, making her professional theatre debut in Wynne Bredenkamp’s Salt at the 2014 National Arts Festival, and has since starred. In The Wings (directed by Philip Rademeyer), The Incredible Journey (written and directed by Stefan Erasmus), Reparations (written and directed by Ameera Conrad) and At the Edge of the Light (written and directed by Wynne Bredenkamp. In 2016 she joined forces with Louis Viljoen for the first time to perform his one-woman play, Oh Baby, I’m A Wild One. She has since also starred in Bibi Slippers’ Fotostaatmasjien and Wessel Pretorius' The Gospel According to Jan Coetzee alongside David Viviers. Most recently she enthralled audiences with her performance in Louis Viljoen’s The Grass Window in which critics praised her beguiling performance and Philip Rademeyer’s Goed Wat Wag Om Te Gebeur for which she was nominated for a 2023 Woordtrofee for Best Supporting Actress.
Although she has a passion for the stage, she is no stranger to the screen. Emma has featured in numerous South African film and television series (Die Boekklub, Fynskrif , Nommer 5, Rage, Afgrond, Strange New Things and ICE). She was most recently featured in History Channel’s miniseries Lincoln and has worked alongside Tinarie van Wyk Loots, Antoinette Kellerman, David Minnaar, Cintaine Schutte and Stian Bam.
THE DESIGNER
Kieran McGregor
Kieran McGregor is a Designer, Production Manager and Producer who graduated from UCT Drama School in Theatre and Performance. Formally trained as an actor, his creative vision and an interest in lighting design developed in parallel with his studies.
As a designer, production manager, and producer he has been a part of numerous theatre productions and live events in Cape Town, as well as touring both locally and internationally. He has worked with various local and international production houses, artists and companies, in theatre, film, TV, and other live events.
As a designer some of his highlights include: The Father (directed by Greg Karvellas for The Fugard Theatre), in(s)kin (Created and directed by Mbongeni N. Mtshal for Artscape New Voices Season 2016 and National Arts Festival 2017), The Eulogists (written by Louis Viljoen, directed by Greg Karvellas for The Fugard Theatre), Grounded (directed by Chris Weare at The Baxter Theatre), Clybourne Park (directed by Greg Karvellas for The Fugard Theatre). Kristalvlakte (by Amy Jephta, directed by Mari Bortslap for Suidoosterfees 2016 at The Fugard Theatre and for Aardklop 2016), Peppa Pig! Live in South Africa! (presented by EFX International and Entertainment One UK) and recently in Louis Viljoen's The Grass Widow and The Visigoths. Other design credits include the 2024 How Now Brown Cow presented Expelled.
