Tree Boy

Tree Boy is set in the period during which South Africa shifted from being a British Colony to an independent republic under the control of the National Party. Coppen’s play tells a deceptively simple story: an eleven year old boy’s Benjamin Sprout’s mother dies, his father Arthur is unable to cope with the loss and turns to alcohol, they move from a remote farming area to an industrial town and hope is born again through the example of the life cycle of trees. Voila! But the script is something of a banyan tree, spreading its branches into related territory and sending its many roots into the earth.

In a dreamscape of shadows, reflections, light and shade, the story is told through layers of time; images are conjured, developed, reduced; deep emotions are played out and the tragi-comedy ends on a sombre note of contained anticipation of joy.

This groundbreaking multi-media production saw the collaboration of a number of Durban’s finest creative minds including a script and design by Neil Coppen, direction by Libby Allen, musical score created and performed by Guy Buttery & Karen Van Pletsen, stop animation by Tessa Comrie, Digital SFX by IAMINAWE, lighting design by Tina le Roux and Sound design by Tristan Horton.

Tree Boy premiered for a three day experimental season as part of the New Stages Festival 2009 at the Playhouse and featured Micheal Gritten as Arthur and eleven- year old Daniel Botha as Ben.  

A revised version of the production played to capacity houses on the 2010 Main Grahamstown and Hilton Festival and starred Micheal Gritten, Luc Haasbroek and Ron Smerczak.

Tree Boy was awarded Best new South African script at the 2009 Durban Theatre Awards.

“Tree Boy is an extraordinary feat, an exquisitely conjured marvel, a brave and enlightened piece of magic”

 Daily News, Tonight

“Simply Unmissable”

The Witness.

“Coppen’s sepia-soaked Tree Boy is outstanding.”

The Mercury.

 “The production has a delightfully lyrical style and feel. The wonderful visual effects on the gauzes that frame the largely bare stage play a significant role in sustaining a sense of enchantment as projections of silhouettes of characters in the play, hints of colour and mood, B-Grade science fiction fantasies, symbolic images, suggestions of movement and vast industrial landscapes guide the audience through the plot.”

 Cue.

 “A moving story and visual feast.”

 Witness.

“The production held a capacity audience enthralled. It’s a beautifully scripted, beautifully directed, beautifully acted piece effectively presented in multi-media format.”

artSMart.

The play is set in the early 1960s with many, many references, visually and in the excellent script, to the period. For those of us who lived in those times, we are transported completely and nostalgically to the period.

 Live Wire.