My name/ my naam is Ellen Plakkies

My name/ my naam is Ellen Plakkies, set with Cape Town as its backdrop, staring Vinette Ebrahim and Christo Davids, as the leads of Ellen and her son ‘Abie’ as he’s so affectionately calls him. This wondrous portrayal of the story of Ellen Plakkies is now coming to the Jo’burg Promusica Main Theatre and is not to be missed.

This captivating story of a mother who loses her son to his addiction to Crystal meth, written and directed by Lizz Meiring, is an amazing piece of art which at its core is held together by the detailed expression and depiction of the story as it takes to the stage.

The play holds young ambition and dreams in the beginning of its story line which clearly relates you immediately to each character. With the progression, it highlights not only the struggle of a ‘single’ mother but one of social influences and drugs which steal the dreams of the youth and bring ambition, respect, good judgement and compassion to its knees.

This struggle is played out in the most riveting manner, taking one out of the theatre and putting you into the neighbours’ yard where you can see, hear and feel the relationship of mother and son unfold.

In its simplistic use of set, it embodies the struggle most people in our tense economy go through, using simple cloths and pieces throughout the story. This allows the audience to see the struggle on a physical, emotional and economic level, bringing them understand the point where her actions clearly depict her love and respect for her own life and her inability to suffer any longer.

The interaction and reaction by both actors leave nothing more to be desired at the end of the show. This gripping display of emotion, passion and understanding of both characters shine through even if they didn’t breath a word.

This piece is one that is not to be  missed. It is on stage from the 4th to the 5th of May 2012 at 20:00h. There is an age restriction of 16 (VL) and Tickets are available from Computicket for only R80 and for students and pensioners it is R60 at Joburg Promusica Main Theatre, 100 Christiaan De Wet Drive, Florida Park, Roodepoort.