Milnerton Players bring courtroom drama to the stage
Some of the cast from left are; Gillian Vosloo as Attorney Stevens, Chris Cameron-Dow will be playing John Graham Whitfield, Danalia Borman as Ms Jungquist, Ingrid Penzhorn as The Judge, Theo Roux will be playing Elmer Sweeney , Kendra Maduray as Karen Andre and Kabo Mokhati as ‘Guts’ Regan.
Image: Christoff Van Wyk
Milnerton Players will transform their Playhouse stage into a courtroom for a gripping new production of Ayn Rand’s Night of January 16, running from Friday, February 6 to Wednesday, February 21.
Directed by veteran Johann van der Merwe, the play invites the audience to become part of the action.
Each evening, 12 members of the audience will take on the role of jurors, deciding whether Karen Andre, played by Kendra Maduray, is guilty or not guilty.
“This interactive element ensures that the ending changes night by night, making each performance unique,” said Beryl Eichenberger, spokesperson for the Milnerton Playhouse Theatre.
The drama tells the story of Karen Andre, once the secretary and mistress of wealthy financier Bjorn Faulkner, who now faces accusations over his death after he fell fifty stories from their shared penthouse.
On stage, the courtroom becomes a battleground of ideas: the cold rationalism of district attorney Flint (LAMTA graduate Tumelo Mogashoa, making his amateur theatre debut) versus the passionate defence of attorney Stevens (Gillian Vosloo), who insists the truth about Faulkner’s death lies in the nature of the man himself - ruthless, magnetic, and unbound by ordinary rules.
Witnesses, including building staff, the police inspector, a private investigator, and the widow, give their testimonies piece by piece, building tension until an unexpected twist silences the courtroom.
Although Ayn Rand is better known for her novels, including The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, she first made her mark as a playwright. Night of January 16th, which opened on Broadway in 1935, established her reputation as a bold critic of social conformity - themes that remain strikingly relevant today.
The production combines seasoned actors with newcomers in supporting roles, all praised for their performances during rehearsals.
She said the creative team, including director Johann van der Merwe, production designer and assistant director Hema Maskowitz, and experienced stage manager and props mistress Melissa Marcus, has brought considerable expertise to the show.
Shows will take place on Friday, 6, 13, and 20 February at 7.30pm and on Saturday, 7, 14, and 21 at 7.30pm. Matinee shows will take place on Saturday, 14 and Saturday, 21 February at 2.30pm and on Sunday, February 8, at the Milnerton Playhouse Theatre, 81 Pienaar Road in Milnerton.
Tickets cost R150. Book online at www.milnertonplayers.co.za. Concessions, discounts, and pensioner specials available via bookings@milnertonplayers.com.