Damsel in Distress (Standard Bank Ovation Award 2021) introduces Griselda, an armchair traveller par excellence. It tells the story of Griselda, a librarian who lives in the library; she has not left the building in a long, long time. When faced with life’s little challenges she quips “No thank you, I will rather just read my book, I might not be an adventurer, but I am a librarian and I am proud of it!” With New York - New York she transports us to the new wold while I love Paris, reveals the dreams of six year old Griselda .

DAMSEL IN DISTRESS is funny, light hearted with a twist in the tail. It is only when Griselda - peeps behind the curtain...the curtain of reality, that she is confronted with the identity of the big bad wolf, lurking in the shadows of her childhood. This cabaret, explores the phenomena of the, Damsel in Distress, in myth, literature and investigates the, very real threat of femicide in South African society.

The cabaret is sure to both inspire introspection and raise social awareness in a society that does not value woman as it should. Damsel in Distress played to a full house in the Wela Kapela Secret Garden Series and the Wela Kapela CaberetFest @ the Baxter in Cape Town. At the National Arts Festival 2021the production received a Standard Bank Ovation Award.

Audience Responses

Alison's voice really shone in the opera and Sondheim sections but broadly speaking, IMHO, she was very badly served by the song choices, characterisation and script in this show. I felt truly sorry for her having to plough through this production which didn't suit her at all. There was no real story (and the options really were so open and limitless given the library setting) and she was asked to act in a role which didn't work for her (it felt very forced throughout). What could have been a sophisticated, modern take on 'story-telling with music and song' fell into a hackneyed trap - ("Cabaret" - I think I actually groaned on her line "made me think of my friend Sally" ; "Oompapa" touted as a German song rather than the famous tavern song from Oliver; and so on) - of old-fashioned almost vaudeville theatre without the irony. Nathaniel played brilliantly for this second hour - the man really has stamina as well as superb talent! I'm really sorry to rate this so low - its not the fault of the talented singer or piano player - the problem is the poor choice of songs, acting characterisation and the lack of decent/clever scripting. My apologies for speaking my truth - you can always dismiss it!

Loved the performance!