#10TheatreFacts: Wynne Bredenkamp on 'At the Edge of the Light' at #NAF18

At the Edge of the Light is the latest production by writer-director Wynne Bredenkamp. In this #NAF18 bound production you meet Girl. Hurtling through the drenched night, Girl finds herself at the threshold of the last safe place she knows, hoping to find solace in the grandmother she remembers of her childhood... but there are monsters hiding in the past.

Maria Vos, our Cape Town Fringe 2017 reviewer, praised this play as one that "dares to light a torch in the suffocating darkness of family secrets, and in the process may illuminate more than just its own skeletons".

Bredenkamp shares #10TheatreFacts with us to entice you to join Girl on her journey as she teases out the strange and fantastical tale of her family’s history.

1. How are you involved with At the Edge of the Light?

I am the director, writer, producer, lighting and music designer, stage manager and general techie.

2. Where does the idea for At The Edge of The Light come from?

It culminated from a few inspirations over the years. For me, an image or myth comes to mind that I’m obsessed with and then a real life situation eventually melds into that. At the Edge of the Light was a combination of the myth of the Selkies (seal people) found primarily in the Orkney Islands and my personal experience with gender violence and family.

3. As a production, what genre of theatre best describes it?

Magical realism. The everyday, brick and morter story with an element of other.

4. How would you briefly describe At the Edge of the Light to someone who has no idea what it is about to convince him or her that this is a festival must see show?

At the Edge of the Light is a story about love: having too much or too little of it. It is a play and text that solely focuses on the story of a Gran and granddaughter played by two incredible female actresses that tear into the script with relish. It is humorous, haunting and I promise you won’t leave without being moved in some way.

5. What do you like most about At the Edge of the Light?

The actors. The talent between them always leaves me breathless. The way they handle the script and the rhythm of the production is the ultimate dream for any writer/director.

6. Who would be the ideal audience member to come see At the Edge of the Light?

Anyone from the age of 18 upwards, especially women or men who want to understand an aspect of women. If you love something that is different, intense, but is still an entertaining, linear story this is for you.

7. What about At the Edge of the Light do you think will fascinate or captivate audiences most?

Our element of ‘other’. The play is set in an old house, on the edge of a beach, in the middle of a storm. Things are sniffing and scratching at the doors and audience is held in suspense on what is actually out there.

8. Without giving anything away, what is your favourite line from At the Edge of the Light?

It’s actually a bit of dialogue:

"Gran: You’re right...You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me. Girl: I guess I should thank you then."

This just encapsulates the whole theme of the play.

9. What message or experience would you like the audience to take away from seeing At the Edge of the Light?

I would like the audience to be enveloped by the character’s stories and leave with a greater understanding what people like them go through. I also want them to have been transported to another world where the line between light and dark is blurred.

10. What does theatre as a lifestyle mean to you?

Hard, often unseen, work broken up with moments of intense elation and connection with others. This is not an industry for the faint hearted, and if you embrace it you need to be a jack-of-all-trades in order to survive month to month and to realise your dreams.

Venue: Rehearsal Room

Dates: 5 & 6 July

Duration: 55min

Age restriction: 16+ (LV)

Language: English Featured Artists: Sarah Grace Potter (Girl), Margot Wood (Gran), Emma Kotze (Creature), Andrew Laubscher (Father)

Booking: nationalartsfestival.co.za