Femme is Fatal on stage at the Market Theatre
Brixton resident and celebrated performer, Elzabé Zietsma recently debuted the play at the theatre on Women's Day.
There are many ways to approach difficult subject matter, Elzabé Zietsman, chooses to do so through the forms of a cabaret.
The singer, cabaret artist, actress, and producer can be found performing at the Market Theatre from August 9 to 18 on stage, at the Mannie Manim Theatre as she performs Femme is Fatale.
This is the first time in 30 years that she performs at the Market Theatre, having done a lot of work there during the late 80s. “I am very excited to be going back to the Market Theatre,” she said. Later in the year the play will move to the theatre’s Barney Simon Theatre which is currently being refurbished. “This is one of my favourite theatres in the world,” she shared.
The show is about gender-based violence which Zietsman said is a terrible plague in South Africa, “We are number in the world with femicide, and the closest country to us is almost half of our statistics. So, we live in a really unsafe place for women. A lot of our joy is being sucked from us because of the fear we almost constantly live in.”
She added that while they were doing their research on the matter, she found that what experts around the world agreed on was that even though it could be reduced, you can’t stop it and the way to reduce gender-based violence and femicide is to talk about it. “This is what I am doing, on stage with some beautiful stories and music while discussing an important subject. I tried to make it as palatable and enjoyable for the audience as I possibly could, but we need to talk, and we need to listen.”
From it, Zietsman hopes audience members who through it, may recognise that they too are statistics, that they see the need to find the help they need and talk about the issues. The play, which was directed by Eloise Clasen had its script written by fellow Brixton resident, Bruce Little while Tony Bentel reworked the music. Due to Covid-19, it was put on ice for almost three years though it was performed at various festivals last year and more this year. When it is on stage again in December, it will be translated into isiXhosa and IsiZulu. “This is a very difficult subject matter to talk about my hope is for women in South Africa to be able to live without fear.”
If she could have a superpower, it would be to ensure that all South Africans could live in peace with one another, “We have such an incredible country, and here in Brixton, it’s proven that we can [live in peace]. We can live that dream of all of us living together. It is possible but it takes work from everybody.”
Zietsman hopes that from her, women, especially younger women, can see that anything is possible and that you do not need other people to live a good, productive life, “I had never been married, and it’s a different life, but it’s also a wonderful life.” Through this, she hopes young women realise anything is possible through what they do and that you do not need someone else to make it happen for them or make you happy.
It was the confidence that her parents instilled in her from a young age that she credits for not being phased by societal standards, “This confidence my parents promoted in me gave me the ability to not care too much about what others think.” Ultimately though, she hopes she is remembered as someone who cares.
Related article:
A celebration of differences on National Children’s Theatre stage
