St Teresa’s School, and all the St Mary’s matric Afrikaans pupils sat huddled in The Edge, one seat apart, as we adhered to social distancing protocols and patiently waited for the show to begin, unaware that our minds were going to be blown away. Blackout and action: “Paul, sê asseblief vir my dis alles leuens.”

PIT Productions entertained us with their incredibly talented cast which put on a riveting production of our setwork book Asem (Fanie Viljoen) and a few of the poems that we are studying.

Two of my favourite poems performed were Sterrekyker by Franci Greyling and Sondagaande by Fanie Viljoen. Both were achieved by manipulating shadows and silhouettes behind a sheet with light. We were able to visualise the birds of prey peering in through our windows on a gloomy Sunday afternoon, and the man on the moon receiving the poets’ letters. It was an extremely effective performance that visually presented the poems in a way we will never forget.

The highlight of Asem was the “spanning” the actors and actresses were able to create between Barries, Olga, and Paul. The three main characters were exceptionally portrayed through the use of humour and props, and PIT Productions brought the story to life. The actors passionately revealed the storyline while not giving away the huge plot twist, and they emphasised the journey Barries took to get revenge on his father who left him as a young boy.

It was truly an unforgettable evening that made IEB Afrikaans much more accessible to the matrics.

ASHLEY SIMONATO
FORM V