Don’t miss out on the Jack and the Beanstalk play, closing soon

ON December 8, 2022, a rendition of the classic play, Jack and the Beanstalk, presented by KickstArt, kicked off at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. Featuring some of Durban’s best-loved actors, the play tells a story of an adventure with toe-tapping songs, jokes, romance, fantastic sets and fantasy costumes. With the epic rendition coming to a close this Sunday, January 15, Berea Mail spoke with Durban actor Bryan Hiles to find out more about the play.

The Manor Gardens resident was first bitten by the acting bug in 1996 when he auditioned for a Cape-Town-based company, The Story Spinning Theatre, for a touring production of Hans Christian Anderson stories. “That was the deciding factor,” said Hiles.

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You may recognise the actor from a few other local productions such as Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Charlotte’s Web and Sylvia.

In his more-than-a-quarter-decades-long career, Hiles says that there are many moments he looks back on fondly. “There are several great moments I’ve experienced in my career. The nicest ones are those that are not public – an audience member asking if I am American after watching Cabaret (where my character was American); a theatre producer commenting on my performance in a very small role. It’s difficult to choose a ‘most proud’ moment. There are those moments that stand out for specific reasons at specific times.”

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Hiles says that the exploration, the adventure, the connection between actor and audience, between the actor and the character, between the different characters on stage and the quest for truth is what drives his passion for acting.

The actor describes the Jack and the Beanstalk play as an escape for audiences. “The play features excellent performances, huge belly laughs, delightful audience participation and is the perfect way to kickstart this year!”

“There is such love and support among the cast, and silly antics happening backstage, which keeps the energy flowing. Being able to laugh – that is the biggest joy,” said Hiles.

In conclusion, Hiles says that this year looks promising for him. “My goal is to do a lot more travelling. If all goes well, it will involve quite a bit of national and international travel – and one or two new exciting (scary) projects.”