For a limited season from February 7 to 16, critically acclaimed Krotoa, Eva van de Kaap, set in present day South Africa, is presented by the Volksoperahuis in The Netherlands, in proud association with Artscape.
Krotoa, Eva van de Kaap, tells the story of a Dutch actor (played by Dutch actor, Kees Scholten) and a South African actress (played by South African actress, Bianca Flanders) meet on the film set of Krotoa Eva. He plays Jan van Riebeeck, the VOC merchant who established a refreshment station at the Cape in 1652. She plays Krotoa, the young Khoe girl taken into his household. She became a key negotiator and translator between the Dutch and the local people at a very young age. The first Khoe woman to be baptised and the first to officially marry a European, Krotoa is battered by the clash of two cultures. The two actors are not unscathed as they enter a whirlwind of confrontations, even in their own world where Krotoa’s story is shaking them up. An inevitable dramatic conclusion is set in motion.
Playwright Sylvia Vollenhoven, director Basil Appollis together with musicians (Frazer Barry and Jef Hofmeister) and actors (Kees Scholten and Bianca Flanders) from South Africa and The Netherlands, finish the story that started three and a half centuries ago. This music theatre production is a multilingual, perspective-changing, intercultural, and musical tribute to a shared history.
The story of Krotoa Eva is very relevant in contemporary South Africa. It brings to the stage a neglected and contested aspect of shared history in a way that is innovative. The work sheds new light on an ancient story. Not so long ago few people knew who Krotoa was. The play contends that there has since been an awakening because story has not ended. The play connects the dots between what happened at a 17th Century Fort and what is still happening in the modern world. It is a compelling and engaging story that will help the audience understand their past, make sense of the present and be better prepared for the future. The story unfolds in four languages: English, Afrikaans, Dutch and Khoekhoe.
About Volksoperahuis
The Dutch theatre collective Volksoperahuis is founded by songwriter/ composer /musician Jef Hofmeister and actor/director/singer Kees Scholten and is based in Amsterdam. Over the last 30 years they produced music theatre performances that address current social themes in an accessible and humorous way.
- Tickets are R100 with a 10% discount for 10 or more tickets. Scholars between the ages of six and 18 pay only R50 per ticket. Tickets are available at Computicket or Artscape dial-a-seat on 021 421 7695.