Prodigal is an entertaining, moving, absorbing one-man play telling a universally accessible story of loss, love and guilt. It is marked by a powerhouse performance from Tim Redpath, incorporating elements of mime and physical comedy. Written by Lorraine Knox and directed by Dani Marais.

Luke is a poor farmer’s son who rejects family and home in a gamble for quick cash and prestige in the seedy underbelly of Jo’burg. In this coming of age tale Tim Redpath’s split-second character changes take us on a rollercoaster ride of rebellion, pride and sacrifice.

Prodigal played an extended run to packed houses and standing ovations at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival in July 2006 and 2007. In 2009 Prodigal had successful runs in Oxford and London and at the Edinburgh Festival where Tim won the Sweet Venue Best Actor Award for his performance. In March 2010 Prodigal returned to Oxford for a run at the Oxfringe Festival.

A deftly plotted modern classic, Prodigal follows the tale of a young Eastern Cape farm boy as he decides to leave home and seek his fortune in the fast-paced city of Jo’burg, South Africa. Snappy dialogue, split-second character changes, strong physical acting and innovative directing enables one man to bring a fantastic cast of characters to life. From a story-telling Xhosa woman to a morally dubious Middle-Eastern restaurant owner to an opinionated professor to a shady gangster, Redpath’s vocal and physical dexterity takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride of pride, prejudice and sacrifice.

Details

Duration:

60 minutes

Recommended Age:

No min or max grade set

Recommended Grade:

Grade 6 – Grade 10

Language(s):

English (first language) No second language listed.

Curriculum Connection:

Dramatic Arts

Themes Covered:

Abuse, Change, Choices, Cultural diversity, Death, Discrimination, Family dynamics, Fate/Free Will, Group dynamics (peer pressure), Heroes, Identity, Life skills, Loss, Morality, Poverty, Prejudice, Racism, Relationships, Self-image, Substance abuse, Violence

• Sweet Venue Best Actor Award — Edinburgh Festival, UK (2009)

• Oxfringe Festival, UK (2010)
• Edinburgh Festival, UK (2009)
• National Arts Festival, Grahamstown (2006, 2007)