Graphic by Anke Staphorst
Lesley Barnard
as Prospera
After finishing matric Lesley started acting in 1979 and went into her first production at Pemads as the maid in Peter Pan. Since then she has held a long association with Pemads both as an award winning actress and director and as a Committee member, serving as Chairman and in now the Hon Vice President position. Some of her notable performances for Pemads include “The Importance of being Earnest” Lady Bracknell, Noises off – twice as Belinda Blair (10 years apart), An Ideal Husband – Lady Cheveley, Miss Hannigan in Annie, Ruth Condomine in Blythe Spirit and many other roles too many to list.
As a Director she has taken on many well received Comedies & Farce, Drama’s like “Women in Black” and “A Few Good Men”, and the heart- warming “Calendar Girls.
For Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival she serves on the committee and has played both Viola and Olivia in 2 separate productions of Twelfth Night, Nerissa in the Merchant of Venice, Lady MacDuff in Macbeth, Rosalind in As you Like it and Queen Margaret in Richard 111.
She directed the highly acclaimed Macbeth in 2014 for the society, last years’ very well received “Twelfth Night” back in the newly re-vamped Mannville and played the lead in the Robin Williams newly formed Platform productions of “Other Desert Cities” She has been very lucky to learn so much from the Noel Morgan’s and Helen Mann’s of the world and worked with professional Directors like Keith Grenville, Themi Venturas and Robin Williams as well as dear friends like Helen Flax, Linda-Louise Swain and the late Lizinda Schrapler.
She is delighted to take on Prospera, changing the role from a man to a women as the latest film version of The Tempest did starring Helen Mirren in the role.
She is thrilled to work along alongside her daughter and her other theatrical brain Helen Flax.
At the annual Clover Showtime theatre awards in January, 2016, Lesley collected the Show of the Year award and was also named Best Director for Twelfth Night
* Twelve years before the date of the play, Prospera, the principal performer and mother of Miranda was the Duchess of Milan.
Antonio, her brother, along with Alonso, the King of Naples, illegally forced her and Miranda to flee in a boat. Gonzala, an honest Lady, helped Prospera to flee. In the 12 years which elapsed since she was expelled Prospera refined the magic powers which gave her the power to penalise or exonerate her enemies.
Emily Bradley
as Miranda
Emily was born and raised in the UK and made her big move to South Africa in 2009.
Now a graduate of Stageworld Theatre School, with her Trinity College of London LTCL in Musical Theatre, she is currently completing her LTCL in Teaching.
Emily plans to still further her studies to obtain her fellowship in Musical Theatre by 2018.
She started her stage career in the Madness Musical in 2009, playing leading role Angie Morton.
Since then Emily has been involved in numerous productions such as, Oklahoma! Jack and the Beanstalk (Winning Showtime award for best supporting actress & best novice), Urinetown (winning the Showtime award for best actress) Page to Stage, Calendar Girls, Twelfth Night where she played Olivia, and now The Tempest.
Not only does Emily feature on stage but also in the directors chair. In 2015 Emily directed her first straight play Heart in the Ground by Douglas Hill, which was sold out.
She is now taking the teaching route which she believes she was born to do. After teaching music and drama at Creative Noise Studios in 2015, Emily thought it was time to start up her own performing arts school based at Parsons Hill Primary School. Class Act Performing Arts is set to have its first lesson on the 8th of February.
* Miranda is Prospero’s daughter, and was very young when she was brought to the island refuge.
Apart from Caliban, she had never seen any men. She vaguely remembers the female servants who looked after her when she was an infant.
Her isolation has affected how she perceives other people and she tends to be naïve and non-judgemental. Miranda is a loving, generous and loyal daughter to Prospero.
Gemma Barnard
as Ariel
Gemma, 16, has been acting since the age of 6 when she played a little monkey in Helen Flax and Lesley Barnard's “Aladdin” for Pemads and was hooked by the experience. She was only supposed to be in the first half and go home at interval but she ran away from her Dad and hid behind the chairs and worked her way into the Finale before the “curtain call” was given.
Gemma is a Grade 11 pupil at Theodor Herzl and trains under Robin Williams. She takes Drama as a school subject. This year she will be doing Grade 8 Trinity of London Drama/Performance exams.
She also does vocal coaching with Chireen Ferreira, previously, before her move to Cape Town, she trained in both Operatic and musical theatre voice with Bronwyn Maree and is very lucky to have a beautiful singing voice. She had a busy year last year with “Showtime”, played Hermia in Midsummer Night’s Dream for Theodor, worked backstage on Other Desert Cities, was in Page two Stage for the Savoy and sang in Liske Potgieters’ “A Night at the Opera’.
Gemma has also worked with Greg Everard in the musicals Annie and Honk and is thrilled to be playing Ariel in The Tempest and working with her Mum Lesley. She plans to study Drama and Voice after matric but still has to decide where.
* Ariel is Prospera’s spirit helper and was rescued after an extended imprisonment in a tree by the witch Sycorax.
She remained Prospera’s servant until such time as her release was decided. She is impish, ever-present, has the power to instantly travel the length of the island and has the ability to change shapes at will.
During the play she carries out just about all the tasks set by Prospera.
Gareth Bain
as Caliban
Gareth lives and works in Port Elizabeth and has done a number of shows over the last decade or so. He’s been fortunate to have been given the opportunity to play some of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters. This year he’ll be giving Caliban a bash, one of the Bard’s more complex monsters.
Gareth has been in a few other Shakespearean shows such as Othello, Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (twice), but still has designs to play in a few more before his time is up.
Apart from his time on the Mannville stage, he has done Charlie’s Aunt, Aladdin, A Few Good Men and Don’t Dress for Dinner. There have been more, but he has forgotten which they were.
* Caliban is the son of the witch Sycorax, who has now passed on, and is another servant to Prospera. When Prospera arrived at the island it was Caliban who showed her around but now Caliban believes it rightly belongs to him and Prospera has stolen it from him. Sometimes his speech is rough and vicious, as in his drunken scene with Stephano and Trinculo and at other times it is powerful and moving, such as when he describes the strange beauty of the island.
Glen McIlroy
as Ferdinand
Glen, a 21 year old architecture student from Durban, has a passion for performing in all its spheres. After his debut stage performance in "Cinderella" at the age of eight, it was evident that he would develop an insatiable taste for performing.
Glen has performed in a number of productions throughout his life; on both a school and adult level.
He was chosen to represent South Africa at the World Championship of Performing Arts in Los Angeles in 2012.
Some of the productions in which he has performed include: Step Up, Wyrd Sisters, Chicago, Pygmalion, Fame, Disco Inferno, Walking Happy, Page 2 Stage and The Ex Factor.
The Tempest is Glen's first Shakespearean production, and playing the romantic lead of Ferdinand, Prince of Naples, has presented him with an exciting challenge."
* Ferdinand is the son and heir of Alonso and appears in some ways to be as pure and naïve as Miranda. It’s love at first sight and he quite happily takes on a servitude role to Miranda in order to win her mother’s approval.
Jacques Batista
as Antonio
After an absence of 12 years Jacques has returned to Mannville. His 1995 debut in Othello was followed by performances for PESF in Romeo & Juliet, The Tempest (SHOWTIME Nomination for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor), Hamlet (SHOWTIME Nomination for Best Actor). During his formative years he was a third round finalist in the DALRO National Acting Competition and was a student of the Rother-Swain studio of Speech and Drama. He performed in James & the Giant Peach, A Spoonful of Sugar (The Mary Poppins Story) and A Murder is Announced.
In 1996 he was part of the Stagefun Theatre Company which performed in London and at the Edinburgh International Festival.
During his time studying drama at Rhodes University he was cast in productions such as The Fall of the House of Usher , Hamlet Machine, Boklied and About Midnight for the 25th Standard Bank National Arts Festival Student Drama.
In 2000 Jacques performed in choreographer Bailey Snyman’s LEZER at the 2000 FND Dance Umdudo.
After completing his BA in Drama at Rhodes, Jacques conceived, produced, directed and choreographed two solo physical theatre arts productions, Have you Heard the Seagull Scream? and Surviving Scarlet Raven, which made headlines in the national Sunday newspapers. Both these works premiered at the Loerie Carnival, Knysna. Upon invitation, Have You Heard The Seagull Scream? was staged at the Kalfie Fees, Hermanus and the ABSA KKNK (his second time at the festival - the first being in Taxi Na De Klerksville in 1996).
After teaching English in Europe, Jacques moved to Cape Town where he taught English and Arts & Cultre at a high school where he also directed and choreographed the Musical, Groovy! During this time he also choreographed a work for the ARA Rock Challenge in the Bellville Velodrome. While teaching English in Cape Town, he turned his attention to stage design after qualifying as an architectural draughtsman. He designed the set for a pantomime, Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp staged by the Milnerton Players (Cape Town).
In 2009 Jacques acted with his mother in Hallo & Koebaai and Na Mekka Met Kerslig, the official Afrikaans translations of Athol Fugard’s plays, Hello & Goodbye and The Road to Mecca at the Fugard Festival in Nieu Bethesda.
Both performances were recorded by SABC 2. The excerpt of Na Mekka met Kerslig was filmed in the Owl House. Hallo & Koebaai was invited to return to the 2011 Fugard Festival.
Currently he is working on securing stage rights for a play about Copernicus and the screening rights of a documentary about the Original Image of Divine Mercy.
* Prospera’s thoroughly wicked brother betrayed Prospera’s trust and stole his dukedom years before the play begins. Once on the island, Antonio wastes no time demonstrating that he is still power-hungry and murderous, persuading Sebastian to help him kill Alonso. Though Prospero forgives him at the end of the play, Antonio never repents for his misdeeds.
Leslie Speyers
as Alonso
* Leslie started his theatrical career at the age of 9 in children's theatre and started his adult career at the age 15 in “the Student Prince”.
After several small leads in many shows he played Puck in “A Midsummer Night's Dream” for Leslie French in the opening production of Mannville.
Leslie played the leads in The Boyfriend, Oklahoma, Pajama Game, all three male roles in the Sound of Music, Rooster in Annie for the opening of the second refurbishment of the Opera House.
The roles were endless culminating in playing Max Bialystock in The Producers for Robin Williams in 2009.
After a six year break he was tempted by Helen Flax to return to the stage in 2016 production of The Tempest.
* Alonso was the King of Naples and the father of Ferdinand who aided Antonio in unseating Prospera as Duke of Milan 12 years earlier.
In the play he is acutely aware of the consequences of all his actions. He blames his decision to marry his daughter to the Prince of Tunis on the apparent death of his son.
In addition, after the magical banquet, he regrets his role in the usurping of Prospera.
Ray Saunders
as Sebastian
Ray has been involved with various people connected to the Shakespearean Festival since the '70s and while teaching at Framesby High School, he often brought his pupils to the performances.
During his school years he was active in drama and for the first few years of his teaching career he oversaw several school productions.
At the end of 2001 he was offerred the role of Much Ado About Nothing's character, Antonio, by Linda-Louise Swain.
This was followed in 2007 by the role of Corin from As You Like It and in 2008 he portrayed The Duke of Clarence in Richard III.
In 2009 he played Prince Escalus in Romeo and Juliet and in 2011 he played the role of Francis Flute (Thisbe) in A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2013 he portrayed Polonius in Hamlet at the Little Theatre.
At the end of 2013 he retired from teaching but still maintains his interest in drama.
* Sebastian is Alonso’s brother and is as equally aggressive and cowardly.
Antonio easily persuades him to murder his brother and when Gonzalo catches him with his sword drawn he puts out a ridiculous lion story.
Emma Albertyn
as a Mariner & Spirit
Emma, 19, has just started her second year at AFDA (film school) and is specialising in directing and scriptwriting. She has 12 years ballet experience and while at Alexander Road High she took part in the 2013 musical production" Hairspray".
She plays the French horn and the piano and has played in ensembles around South Africa. Emma has done a few small acting roles in films produced by her fellow AFDA students.
Jamie Reynolds
as Gonzala
Jamie, 21, has been involved in local theatre since 2005. Since matriculating at Pearson in 2012 she has been studying teaching at NMMU. She is known more for her backstage role, and has won an award for backstage excellence, as make-up lady but has decided to step onto stage after a four year hiatus.
Jamie has acted in one other Shakespearian play and has been behind the scenes for Hamlet, Macbeth and Twelfth Night.
She will also be doing make up for The Tempest.
Currently treasurer of PEMADS, Jamie has a full year of theatre ahead.
*An old, honest lady. The goodhearted Gonzalo helped Prospera and Miranda to escape and survive after Antonio usurped Prospero’s title.
During the play, Gonzalo does her best to cheer up the despondent Alonso, maintains an optimistic outlook on the island where they’re standed, and remains unfazed by the insulting taunts of Antonio and Sebastian.
Sarah de Lauwere
as Boatswain & Ceres
Sarah is a grade 11 scholar at Theodor Herzl High School. She has acted in many Gilbert and Sullivan productions and last year acted in A Midsummer Night's Dream. In The Tempest she plays the role of a Mariner and a fairy.
Sarah completed her grade five Trinity exam in 2015 and is now training for her grade 6 exam.
She is currently undergoing drama training with Robin Williams and singing training with Ann Yates.
She was involved with Page 2 Stage, All Shook Up, Disco Inferno and is a member of the Theodor Herzl school choir.
*Appearing only in the first and last scenes, the Boatswain angers the noble characters with her foul-mouthed and rude remarks, but remains competent and resourceful in the shipwreck scene, demanding practical help rather than weeping and prayer.
Dennis Slattery
as Mariner and Francisco
Having been inspired by his father, a member of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Dennis started his 47 year acting career in 1968. Later he joined Pemads and over the years won various awards.
In 1982, after meeting Helen Mann, he progressed to Shakespearean productions.
His favourite role was when he portrayed Trinculo in the 1984 production of The Tempest, directed by Helen Mann.
He was named Best Supporting Actor for Jack and the Beanstalk.
Every year Dennis continues to audition for acting roles simply because he loves it.
Tim Collier
as Mariner and Stephano
Tim, 21, is a born and bred Port Elizabethan who attended Grey High School and who finished matric with 90% for drama. Last year received 98% for his Grade 8 Performing Arts Trinity exam.
He was privileged enough to take subject drama at Rother Swain Drama Studio and has always had a passion for theatre and acting, loving the notion of climbing on stage and donning another persona ever since he was a child.
This young actor has been in numerous shows in his lifetime, and says he still has much to learn about the craft. Some of his past works include: The Wizard of Oz (2011); Charlie and the chocolate factory; Cinders the true story – Prince Charming (2012); Showtime: Travelling Light; Frenzy; Back to Back (2013) Disco Inferno; Run; Snow White – Prince George (2014); Twelfth Night – Feste; Other Desert Cities – Trip Wyeth; His daughter; All Shook Up; Music! Magic! Movies! (2015).
Timothy is a qualified sound technician and currently works for Reach For A Dream. It has taken a long time to realise his dream of attending AFDA, and this year will mark the beginning of his studies in the arts as he starts a BA in Live Performance.
At the Clover Showtime Theatre Awards, Tim was named Best Supporting Actor 2015 for his role as Feste in Twelfth Night and for Other Desert Cities.
Stefano is a drunken butler and with Trincula provides a comic touch to the other, more powerful pairs of Prospero and Alonso and Antonio and Sebastian. Their drunken boasting and petty greed reflect and deflate the quarrels and power struggles of Prospero and the other noblemen.
Sebastian Albertyn
as a Mariner & Adrian
Adrian, aged 16, is a grade 11 pupil and very new to theatre. Although he acted in Seven Brides for Seven Sisters, The Tempest is his first non-school production. His love of theatre is inherited from his mother who took him to see many shows when he was young.
He is a musician and was a member of the Grey High School choir, Grey Voices. He is now a member of the Theodor Herzl High School choir and is studying drama under the tuition of Robin Emslie Williams. We wish him "break a leg" as he embarks on what we hope will be a successful acting career.
Anke Staphorst
as Ariel Spirit & Iris
Anke, 25, is a freelance graphic designer and photographer from Port Elizabeth. She recently completed six years of full time studies at NMMU, graduating with a BTech in Graphic Design and a National Diploma in Photography. Her love for the stage developed at a young age during her school career. She made the most of opportunities in school choirs, cabaret groups and musicals and played trombone in the school wind band.
She has performed in a number of productions including Showtime as well as Pirates of Penzance, Page to Stage (2014) and Page Two Stage (2015), Disco Inferno, and All Shook Up for the Gilbert & Sullivan Society. The highlight of her acting career has been playing leading role, Natalie/Ed, in All Shook Up in 2015.
She has also performed in Afrikaans plays and musicals, performing principle and lead roles in Geheime Verraad en Verspotte Komplotte, Somerkersfees and Kersfees in September by Obed Produksies.
She decided to challenge herself and joined the cast of The Tempest – something completely different to what she is used to on stage.
Apart from performing, she also applies her photographic and design skills behind the scenes and has served as production designer and production photographer for most of the productions she has performed in.
She also currently serves on the Gilbert & Sullivan Society committee with the portfolio of PR and Marketing.
She is grateful for all the opportunities she has been given to not only perform, but also apply her photographic and design skills in the theatre environment.
Anke was one of the Cell Block Tango Girls who won the 2015 Best Theatrical Esemble for Page 2 Stage.
Amy Huntley
as Ariel Spirit and Juno
Amy Claire, 18, attended Victoria Park High School and matriculated at the end of 2015 with a Bachelors Degree pass and a distinction in Dramatic Arts.
This is her first Shakespearean play as she only participated in school productions. She started Dramatic Arts in Grade 10 and with the help of her drama coach Marriette Van de Walt was able to find and nurture her passion for the arts.
She is studying Performing Arts at AFDA this year and is very excited to start her studies in Port Elizabeth where she grew up.
She won many awards in school such as “Best Actress - Runner up” in 2013, “Most Challenging Play” which she directed in 2014, “Best Actress and Best Director” in 2015 and also received a trophy for “Outstanding Contribution to Performing Arts”.
She was rewarded for outstanding performance and practical work in music and drama. Amy hopes to be involved in many local productions this year.
Chloé Shelton
as a Mariner & Trincula
Chloé, 18, was born in Johannesburg and moved to Port Elizabeth 10 years ago.
She is currently a Grade 12 student at The Hill College & enjoys the freedom and creativity the college affords her. The grand-daughter of John Shelton, one of the main movers to establish Mannville, it's not surprising acting is in her blood as she has already starred in a number of plays presented by Gilbert & Sullivan, PEMADS & The PE Shakespearean Festival from Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Disco Inferno, Macbeth, Pirates of Penzance, Soiree Under the Stars, Snow White and the Pearson production of Springbok Radio.
Chloe hopes to embrace a career in Musical Theatre & has plans to study at NMMU - PE after completing matric.
Mark Shelton
as the Ship's Master
Being the son of the late, well-known, Parks Department Director John Shelton, it's only natural for Mark to have kept up his ties with the Port Elizabeth Shakespearian Festival and other theatrical productions.
He has been involved in things theatrical since High School days, acting in Our Town-Ons Dorp, King Lear with Trevor Hicks & John Hussey during his matric year in 1985, assisting back stage with the Gilbert & Sullivan production of Disco Inferno & Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. It is indeed a very special occasion for Mark and his daughter Chloe to share the stage during this years The Tempest production, some 30 odd years after acting in King Lear.