Spotlight: Jeremeo talks Pizza's Here

What a treat it was to spend Monday afternoon talking to Jeremeo Le Cordeur about his passion for theatre. This creative soul, born and bred in Wellington, clearly has an unstoppable drive and commitment to his craft.

How many 21 year olds would tell their parents not to give them a birthday bash, but rather to invest that money in their child’s dream to start a theatre company? That is exactly what the motivated Jeremeo did, and so Vulture Productions was born. 10 shows later, this actor, puppeteer, trained stunt man, director, writer and producer, is taking on the world with his creative edge that sets him apart from the theatre norm.

And edgy he is, as is evident from the fact that he is hosting what is rumoured to be the biggest live play reading in Cape Town with the revival of his script, Pizza’s Here, at the Artscape Theatre Arena next Wednesday, 28 May.

Jeremeo may describe himself as “an actor first underneath all of this”, but listening to this creative mind share his vision, it is clear that he also has a natural hands-on approach to directing. In that sense, he reminds us of Hennie van Greunen, the type of director that actively rehearses with you and doesn’t just observe from the side.

So what can an audience expect if they want to be part of this theatre development history? Jeremeo describes his work as “movie theatre”that is “very different” and gives you the sense of a graphic novel.

Why then this brave move by self-proclaimed tv series addict, to open up his comical script that is clearly a labour of love to the critique of the general public? “Your job as director is to create something that will stick with them”, says Jeremeo. For that reason, he believes that the public should get the opportunity to be part of the development of a product they would ultimately want to see on stage, by allowing them to actively influence its growth through what Jeremeo describes as the “inclusive approach”.

In additional to the public’s opportunity to be part of this creative process, the play reading is also a fundraiser to help Tannie Dora Goes Bos get to the Grahamstown National Arts Festival. At R40 a ticket at Computicket, this is a double do-good theatre experience for all theatre lovers out there.

This play, of which we got a sneak peek of the first few pages, is divided into three sections: Build-up, Catastrophe, and Aftermath.

We can‘t wait to be part of the heightened reality experience that promises to be Pizza’s Here, where a “magical” pizza delivery in Woodstock to step brothers, ladies’man Dean and Glee-watching Jerry, changes everything …