The King of Broken Things – a whimsical, profound and poignant one hander by Theatresmiths’ Michael Taylor Broderick, featuring Cara Roberts (as a young boy) opens the brand new Bridge Theatre in Durban North, situated at the Northlands Primary School campus, on Friday 4 November for a six performance run until Saturday 12 November.
The Bridge Theatre is a quaint 100 seater raked theatre, which the principal and school board have earmarked to be developed into a professional venue to hire – particularly for spoken word theatre; live original music; cabarets; recitals and comedy. This production marks the “soft” launch of the venue, which over the next few months will be further upgraded and enhanced.
The idea is for The Bridge to build a theatre going audience particularly in the Durban North area, but also to provide an opportunity for learners to get first-hand experience of live arts, by becoming involved in the productions being staged there.
The King of Broken Things has just returned from The Golden Dolphin International Puppet Festival, 2022 – which is held every three years in Bulgaria to popularise the achievement of Bulgarian puppet art and to showcase puppet shows from around the globe. The King of Broken Things was the only South African production invited to the festival.
“The past week was amazing on so many levels but there’s one highlight, an epiphany moment, a revelation that will stay with me forever. … one beautifully written and marvellously played performance by Theatresmiths. Thank you, Michael Taylor-Broderick, Cara Roberts and Brandon Bunyan, for this beautiful, beautiful thing you created, and embracing my vulnerability when I needed it the most,” wrote Oya Yilmaz Kermani- International Jury member for The Golden Dolphin International Puppet Festival, 2022
“The King of Broken Things dares its audience to imagine, to dream and most of all, to believe. It is a show about hope, about fixing and mending, about forgiving and about healing, all of these are key ingredients that are much needed in our beloved country right now,” says writer / producer / director Michael Taylor Broderick.
The King of Broken Things gently deals with many issues facing society today: bullying; prejudice; gratuitous waste; absent fathers and the futility and consequences of war. All of these themes are keenly and wryly observed by the young protagonist. Because these ideas are expressed by a child (played by Cara Roberts), they are more honest and forthright – acceptance is where change and healing begins.
The show is a previous winner of a Gold Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival and now a winner of three International Awards at the Golden Dolphin International Puppet Festival (for Best Actress, Best Script and Best Director).
The King of Broken Things is produced by Theatresmiths which is founded by Michael Taylor Broderick. It is a group of like-minded theatre practitioners intent on changing the world through the magic of theatre.
Good to Know:
Tickets: R130 adults / R110 concessions
Tickets in advance through Webtickets
Performances: Fri 4 Nov at 7pm / Sat 5 Nov & Sun 6 Nov at 2.30pm.
Thurs 10 Nov, Fri 11 Nov at 7pm / Sat 12 Nov at 2.30pm
Northlands Primary School: 20 Gleneagles Dr, Durban North.
Guarded on-site parking
Refreshments will be on sale
