In this, Award Winning,  one woman show Lynita Crofford plays both Englishwoman Emily Hobhouse who campaigned for the rights of women and children during the Anglo Boer War, of 1999-1902 and Tant Alie Badenhorst, a Boer woman held in a British concentration camp. 

The play celebrates the strength and courage of women and reminds us of the dreadful atrocities committed on our soil.

Winner of NAF Ovation award 2013 and nominated for a Fleur Du Cap Award.  Directed by Christopher Weare . Written by Tony Jackman.

'Engrossing Potrait of a Spirited Woman 'Beverly Brommert - Cape Argus

'Timely nod to a largely unsung humanitarian" Tracey Saunders - Cape Times

'Lynita Crofford is captivating as she alternates between Emily Hobhouse, campaigner against the camps' inhumane conditions, and Tant Alie, a resolute boere vrou kept in one of the camps' -Alexander Mathews CUE NAF

ABOUT THE PLAY: An Audience with Miss Hobhouse delves into the world of Emily Hobhouse, who devoted a good part of her adult years to bringing the plight of Boer women and children to the attention of her British fellow countrymen. It is a one-act play in which the actor plays both Hobhouse - in her later years - and a Boer woman, Tant Alie, who was a genuine victim of the British actions against the Boers in their concentration camps, and whose memoir Hobhouse translated into English some years after the end of the war. A handful of bit players also come on stage - troops, war correspondents and the like - as Miss Hobhouse, supposedly addressing a West End of London theatre audience in her last years, reflects on her role in the conflict, and her only partially successful efforts to make the British public understand how badly the plan by Lord Roberts and later Lord Kitchener to bring the Boers to heel by incarcerating their women and children had gone awry.

Lynita has a BA(Drama) from the University of Pretoria and has worked extensively in the industry as an actor, theatre maker, TV Presenter, voice artist ,lecturer and newsreader. In September 2020 she won a Naledi Best Performance award for her portrayal of Alice B.Toklas in Gertrude Stein and a Companion and in 2019 she was awarded the Best Performance by a Female award at the Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival in Ireland for the same role. Lynita first performed An Audience With Miss Hobhouse at the Intimate Theatre in Cape Town in 2012 and in 2013 was nominated for a Fleur Du Cap Solo Performance award for her portrayal of Emily Hobhouse and other characters in the play. The production also won an Ovation award at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in the same year. In December 2020, under strict Covid 19 protocols Lynita returned to the stage with An Audience With Miss Hobhouse at the Royal Arts Town Amphitheatre in Riebeek Kasteel for two performances. Lynita has appeared in many international and local movies Including Holiday in The Wild (Netflix) The Wedding Party 2 (Netflix) Safe House and Chronicle .She also recently appeared in local TV series Afgrond ,Die Sentrum and Signal High 2 . Lynita can also be heard reading the news on LM /Magic 828 AM from Monday to Friday between 1-6 

 

Audience Responses

Brilliant! Role changes 'effortlessly' and effectively, accent very convincing, stage portraying the depressing atmosphere excellently. It has been a privilege to see this superb actress in action.

Outstanding performance - Kept me glued to my seat - We really enjoyed the performance - She deserves more than 5 stars. Well done

A powerful portrayal by Lynita Crofford, blending the roles of Emily Hobhouse and the Boerevrou gave the piece more depth and a better understanding of the horrors of the concentration camps on the one hand, and Emily's fight to be " heard" and be allowed to help by the autocratic military men of that generation.

Loved the show - love history and found the actress quite brilliant !

Loved the show - love history and found the actress quite brilliant !

It is an excellent performance of an interesting play. The venue was ideal.

A truly awe-inspiring performance. Incredibly well-delivered. Just incredible.

Bravo!!!! Amazing performance

Really solid writing and superb performance

Absolutely amazing!!!!!!

Lynette was phenomenal - we absolutely loved the play! It was our first time coming to the Drama Factory and we'll certainly be back. Thanks so much for such a lovely outing.

A brilliant performance and thank you for providing us with such a variety of theatre. We are indeed fortunate to be able to have access to all these shows.

It was an excellent performance by a very talented lady!!

Absolutely stunning performance- my mascara was running down my face! We talked about this amazing show for hours afterwards...it really reached us - thank you 🤗

It was a most pleasant surprise to find such an amazing space in the middle of what one might think as an unlikely space for a theatre. Impressive. The production was fine. Many thanks.

Absolutely fantastic, Lynita Crofford had the audience spellbound with her portrayal of Emily Hobhouse and the other characters, especially moving for me was the Boer mother