SOUTH Africa-based Zimbabwean actor Leroy Gopal’s star continues to shine in a foreign land as he has featured in another production titled Crepuscule by Can Themba that premieres this coming Saturday at Laager Theatre in South Africa.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
The award-winning Gopal will play the role of Themba in his first appearance at the Market Theatre.
The production also features a highly accomplished and internationally renowned ensemble cast of Kate Liquorish, Lerato Mvelase (Emmy-nominated), Conrad Kemp, Nhlanhla Mahlangu and Thami Ngoma.
Khayelihle Dom Gumede has created the play by adapting Can Themba’s short story Crepuscule, which is a fictional interpretation of Themba’s real-life love affair with a white woman, Jean Hart, during the 1950s.
Set in the often revered and romanticised world of Sophiatown, the play asks a range of pertinent and contemporary socio-political questions.
Themba and Hart’s illicit relationship serves as a means to unpack how much of our identity is formed by our environment and how much is shaped by our choices as individuals.
Market Theatre publicist Lusanda Zokufa said the Laager Theatre is reopening with productions created by two luminaries in South Africa’s cultural history after almost a year and a half of renovations.
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“The Laager Theatre will reopen this month with two dynamic and award-winning young directors adapting and reviving works written by Can Themba and Barney Simon. Both figures became cultural icons through their creative work and its socio-political critiques of the oppressive regime of the day,” Zokufa said.
“The Market Theatre is world famous for staging struggle theatre during the dark days of apartheid, and continues its legacy today by giving fresh young talent a platform to express and showcase their skills.”
Zokufa said Crepuscule will run from July 11 to August 2 followed by Cincinatti – Scenes from the City Life from August 19 to September13.
Gopal went to Budiriro Primary School, Glen View High School and Hartzell High School. He studied drama and theatre in 1995 at Masvingo Catholic College.
His first television appearance was in a local drama Paraffin when he was seven years old and he played an episode of Sadza Riripi with Yellow Card becoming his first movie in 2000 featuring as Tuyane Tsumba.
In 2013, Gopal scooped an award at South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) held at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg. He won the Best Actor in a comedy award for his role as “Oleshe” in a comedy called Ses’Top La.
Gopal has starred in a number of South African popular sitcoms like Backstage and Jacob’s Cross among others. He recently had a chance to showcase his talents when he hobnobbed with South Africa’s best actors and actresses on the huge Generations soapie. He played the role of a chauffeur, Jackson, alongside big names like Sophie Ndaba and others.
The 36-year-old actor made a name for himself when he starred in one of Zimbabwe’s biggest films, Yellow Card, as Tuyane Tsumba, before penetrating the South African television and film industry. Besides acting, he has also featured in television commercials.
Away from acting, multi-talented Gopal runs a corporate training and skills development company called Creation Station Entertainment.
He also has a clothing label called MamasBoy.
