Language: English
Director and Screenwriter: Louis Viljoen
Dates: 09 & 10 March 2018
Venue: H.B Thom Theatre
Cost: R120-R140
Age Restriction: 18LSP
The Demon Bride is both a gripping and hysterical horror-comedy production that has once again proven the ability of director, Louis Viljoen, to challenge audiences’ sensory experiences. His thrilling storyline is cleverly interwoven with his trademark flawed characters and his choice of a local wineland backdrop.
Although the play is centred on a single set, the use of an illuminated painting, various ominous sound effects and eerie lighting further enhanced the alluring performances of the actors.
“The play is a breath of fresh air with a brilliant text, ” said audience member, Andrico Goosen (24), a puppeteer.
Multiple award-winning director and playwright, Louis Viljoen’s, The Demon Bride premiers at Stellenbosch University’s Woordfees. PHOTO: Kadzamira Modjadji.
The fictional characters were adapted into visually captivating enactments by leading cast members Bianca Flanders, Sarah Grace Potter and Craig Alan Jackson who embodied both the humour and fear of the genre.
The highly provocative nature of the production was seen in the mature content, vulgarities and adult themes used throughout the play, which eventually saw two elderly couples walking out of the production.
Viljoen’s latest masterpiece also challenges original love-story narratives through the creation of a love triangle that sees the formation of an unsuspecting romance between both female leads.
Bianca Flanders’s stellar performance as possessed newly-wed Amelia. PHOTO: Kadzamira Modjadji.
The Demon Bride follows a wedding party that come together to celebrate the nuptials of close friends. However, they find themselves trapped in a haunted cabin on a dilapidated wine farm.
The carefree weekend quickly turns into a nightmare when a newlywed is possessed by an ancient demon that intends to wreak havoc on her friends.
“The comedy was written very well with the horror aspects, and the plot twist at the end is fantastic,” said Gilla MacKinnon (22), History Honours student.
Viljoen’s script is not only witty but packed with sarcasm, innuendos and humour that continue to play against the audiences expectations and feed into the alluringly grotesque nature of the production.
The Demon Bride is a theatrical experience that will both shock and delight you.