Standing Ovation at the Tachiagaru

For December's play reading, we're delving into Standing Ovation at the Tachiagaru by Coleen van Staden.

The evening will include a table read of the play by actors, followed by a discussion of the work. The discussion will be led by Melanie O'Connor Horn and a panel of experts. Input from the audience is most welcome!

About the play

In our digital world, true crime enthralls millions, breeding cyber sleuths, couch detectives, and podcasters. This is the story of one such podcaster, Sam, who revels in the drama of his latest tale: a  bizarre murder at a stand-only bar in a Tokyo street.

Sam's podcast is "theatre of the mind," where the chilling narrative comes alive. You won't just hear the story; you'll see it, smell it, and feel it exactly as HE does. It's Kabuki meets Film Noir meets Soap Opera, where life might end up imitating art.

More about the writer, Coleen van Staden

Coleen fell in love with the stage as a child when she did ballet for 6 years and then performed in outdoor concerts on Sea Point Beach front.  She started a drama club in junior school called Clique Playhouse and ran improv sessions every break time. Coleen has performed  in lots of comedy, drama, and musical theatre productions, before moving on to directing and writing shows for the stage. In 2016, she formed Circle Productions  NPC with theatre bestie, Celia Musikanth. During lockdown, Coleen was part of an online group called Globesoup.net, where she enjoyed the challenge of word counts and themes.  This particular play is adapted from a short story she wrote for a competition in 2020.