Event information
Seen as both genius and curiosity, Vaslav Nijinsky remains an intriguing figure today, with numerous biopics and biographies shedding light on this revolutionary of dance.
'Vaslav' is the creation of the multi-award-winning Godfrey Johnson and Lara Bye, based on a text written by them and writer Karen Jeynes. The play is a choreography of dialogue, music and movement, with Johnson drawing on the works of Stravinksy, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Satie and his own compositions, weaving the magic of this world directly from the piano.
A true theatrical triumph, ‘Valsav’ demands a formidable combination of skills and artistic depth, as reflected in the Fleur Du Cap’s 2015 nominations, in which Johnson became the first South African artist to be included in the following three categories:
- Best Actor in a Musical
- Best Performer in a One-Person Show
- Best Composer.
An exceptional diversity of categories for one show, much less one individual, it stands as a formal recognises his audiences’ time-honoured experience: Johnson’s simple solo performances are of a power and magnitude equal to the most elaborate of productions.
International Acclaim
Throughout his career, Johnson has delivered high-impact performances, and has a special place in audience's hearts and minds for his intimate and life-affirming delivery of Jaques Brel's work. At once dark and light, Johnson proves himself as much a dramatist as he is comedian. This ability also sees him bringing the songs and social vignette's of Noel Coward’s life and times into the 21st century, bringing both him and Coward to new audiences, and his Brel and Coward is known from Montreal to London, and from Amsterdam to Boksburg.
