Q&A with Kai Luke Br mmer as he prepares for Moffie his latest theatrical endeavourMoffie is a play about love, loss and hope. The production is set to premiere at the Riverside Studios in London on 5 June 2024.
by The South African
13-05-2024 08:23
in Art and Artists
Kai Luke Br mmer. Image: Supplied
We had the pleasure of sitting down with South African actor Kai Luke Br mmer as he prepares for his latest theatrical endeavour, the stage adaptation of Moffie'.
--
This production is set to have its world premiere at the Riverside Studios in London. Kai, a London-based actor, has graced numerous stages with standout performances in productions like Athol Fugard's Master Harold and the Boys and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, for which he clinched a Naledi Award for Best Actor. Kai has also gained international acclaim through his roles in films and series such as Moffie, Professionals alongside Brendon Fraser, Eraser , Vagrant Queen , and Desert Rose .
Celebrated as one of the best new up-and-comers at the Venice Film Festival by The Guardian UK, and described as mesmerising' and magnetic' by The Hollywood Reporter, Kai continues to captivate audiences with his dynamic performances.
We spoke to Kai about his experiences transitioning this story from screen to stage and the profound insights he brings to his role in Moffie .
--
Transitioning Moffie from screen to stage What was your initial encounter with the novel Moffie like? When I first started preparing for the film which was produced in 2019, I picked the book up for research, but I quickly realised that the screenplay and the novel are very different, so I decided to just focus on the screenplay. Only recently, since the conceptualization of the stage adaptation, have I been able to really delve into the novel. It's heartbreaking, difficult, revealing and somehow incredibly full of hope.
How do you feel about adapting Moffie from film to stage? Are there any challenges for you as an actor reprising a role you first did on screen? Well, there are no challenges with this adaptation as the play is based on the novel rather than the film. That being said, being slightly older, revisiting similar themes and trying to figure out how to make this story vital for the stage is always a challenge, but, after I read Philip Rademeyer's script, all my worries faded away. Philip has created something very lean and muscular and it's an exciting challenge to rise to it and do justice to the text he has given us.
How has your South African heritage shaped your portrayal of the character in both film and theatre? I am one of the Rainbow Nation' children. I was born just before the first democratic elections in SA in 1994 and I grew up mostly in a free South Africa. The world I have grown up in is vastly different from that of my parents. I would be remiss not to acknowledge that my forebears were part of a system that fought against the reality that I grew up in. A system that systematically oppressed people of colour. Telling this story, a story of a white South African who, whether willingly or not, fought for Apartheid is always a complicated ask. But, at the same time, it is a huge privilege to be given the opportunity to delve into my heritage warts and all. I guess my first question was always, why didn't they or this character consciously object this becomes a vital question because it challenges me as an almost born free' to really try and understand this specific time in South African history.
--
How has your relationship with director Greg Karvellas evolved in adapting Moffie to the stage? Greg has been amazing, I know that he and Philip worked together tirelessly to get the script to what it is now. We have talked a lot about what this play means and what we want to say with it. Greg is no stranger to this material, and his keen eye and gentle guidance have been there to shepherd me through my preparation. Let's not forget that the man is also producing the play, and so I appreciate his ability to wear many different hats with grace.
How does preparing for a one-man show differ from preparing for a film with a full cast? I had already been a stage actor for many years before doing the film. In a lot of ways, live performance is my comfort zone. That being said, a one-person show is a massive undertaking, and it can be scary at times. But, if we can get it right (and with this amazing team I think it's more than possible) it will be something really special.
What new insights do you aim to explore in the stage version of Moffie ? We are telling a story about a young white conscript in Apartheid South Africa. The parallels between the South African apartheid state and the genocide that is currently being perpetuated in Palestine are too numerous. I want to explore the white settler colonialism mentality/psyche. I want to explore and decorticate the need for guilt and victimization that white settler colonialists have leaned into throughout history. I want to portray a story that may resonate with audiences recollecting past events while finding parallels with current ones.
Why should audiences see Moffie live on stage, and what makes this adaptation essential? It's a play about love, loss, hope and in a way a cry for acceptance. I think it's an incredibly moving piece and to be able to put it on at the Riverside Studios is such a privilege. We are working our asses off to bring you something challenging yet playful and I do hope you come and see it.
Moffie opens at the Riverside Studios on 5 June and will run until 30 June.
Tickets are priced at £25 for general admission and £19.50 for concessions.
Tickets can be booked directly through the Riverside Studios website.
Maak seker jy is nie n slagoffer nie,
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
15/06/2026
Detach from Direct-Attached: How Remote Editing with EVO Keeps Creative Teams Mo...
14/06/2026
Library captures 1960s R&B/pop drum sound
Following on from their recent wave of plug-in effects, Iconic Instruments have just launched an all-new virtual d...
14/06/2026
HBO Comedy Rooster Shot with URSA Cine 17K 65
Brie Clayton June 14, 2026
0 Comments
Large format brings viewers intimately close to characters.
Black...
13/06/2026
Latest expansion pack includes 252 presets
Devious Machines have recently introduced another expansion for their powerful multi-effects plug-in, Infiltrator...
13/06/2026
Create custom DAW/plug-in controllers using prompts
MetaGrid have recently introduced an all-new AI Builder function to their touchscreen-based control surf...
13/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
YES Network and The Gotham Sports App will air seven Athletes Unlimited Softball...
12/06/2026
The United Football League will host its FAST Innovation Suite at the 2026 United Bowl presented by Credit One Bank on Saturday, June 13 at 3:00 p.m. ET at Audi...
12/06/2026
PTZOptics and LayerJot will present live demonstrations at InfoComm 2026 showing how natural-language AI prompting, robotic camera control, and on-device comput...
12/06/2026
MultiDyne Video and Fiber Optic Systems will exhibit at InfoComm 2026, featuring...
12/06/2026
Ateme has announced that Eurovision Services is using Ateme's software-based frame-rate conversion technology for international live event workflows. The de...
12/06/2026
Bitmovin and Simplestream have announced a partnership with Xperi to simplify the launch of OTT streaming services on TiVo OS smart TVs and devices. The collabo...
12/06/2026
Net Insight has announced that a multinational technology company is deploying a...
12/06/2026
MLB Players Inc., the business arm of the MLB Players Association, has announced a partnership with Athletes First to develop and sell brand partnerships across...
12/06/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D) and VuWall have announced the CommandKeyboard-Advanc...
12/06/2026
Comcast Smart Solutions announces a new smart technology deployment with Major L...
12/06/2026
Elevation Worship completed the initial leg of its Elevation Nights 2026 tour ...
12/06/2026
AJA Video Systems has announced KONA IP25 support for Colorfront Transkoder and ...
12/06/2026
Audinate Group Limited (ASX: AD8) will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth C7321, Ce...
12/06/2026
Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould has announced the appointment of Scott Adametz as Chief Technology Officer. The Pac-12 describes the hire as the first CTO appo...
12/06/2026
Grass Valley has announced AMPP Edge Live, a production system combining Grass Valley hardware, NVIDIA Blackwell GPU acceleration, and AMPP OS in a single platf...
12/06/2026
At one time a trailblazer with the launch of the Longhorn Network, the Universit...
12/06/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
12/06/2026
Chyron has announced PAINT 10.4, an update to its illustrated replay and sports ...
12/06/2026
SVP, Production, Mark Gross: With the new schedule, with not having every Sunday night, it has given us an opportunity to take a step back and reimagine what o...
12/06/2026
For Televisa Technical Engineering Manager Roberto N nez Ibarra and the small team of 12 technicians and two production personnel at the IBC things are already ...
12/06/2026
Simple Steps to Better Acoustics - Taming The Small Room
Most of us mix in spare rooms and small spaces, where the acoustics fight us at every turn. At Gear...
12/06/2026
Latest addition expands vintage-inspired effects palette
Meris' Ottobit pedal range draws its inspiration from vintage gaming consoles, and the latest a...
12/06/2026
Soundbox-based chamber strings series expanded
Sonora Cinematic have just announced the launch of the second instalment in their Soundbox-based chamber stri...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
AJA Announces KONA IP25 Integration with Colorfront Software
Brie Clayton June 12, 2026
0 Comments
Collaboration enables uncompressed SMPTE ST 2110 I/O ...
12/06/2026
URSA Cine 12K LF Used to Create Visuals for STUTS' K-Arena Concert
Brie Clayton June 12, 2026
0 Comments
Organic visuals projected on a giant scre...
12/06/2026
MTI FILM Acquires Mango New Edit, Expanding its Global Post-Production Services ...
12/06/2026
AI Point Tracking Speeds Up Complex VFX Tracks in Mocha Pro
Jessie Electa Petrov June 12, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic point trac...
12/06/2026
Bitmovin, a provider of video streaming solutions, has partnered with Simplestream, a provider of OTT and broadcast solutions, and technology provider Xperi, to...
12/06/2026
Leostream Corporation, creator of the world-leading Leostream Remote Desktop Access Platform, today announced Jigsaw24, a leading B2B IT solutions provider wit...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/06/2026
How Aussie indie games and screen are levelling up with IP 11 June 2026
Ari Harrison, Pro Jank Footy
Head of Games Joey Egger and Ari Harrison of Umbrella sha...
12/06/2026
AgentPerf from Artificial Analysis, the industry's first agentic AI benchmark, gives developers, enterprises and infrastructure providers a clear way to com...
Q&A with Kai Luke Br mmer as he prepares for Moffie his latest theatrical endeavourMoffie is a play about love, loss and hope. The production is set to premiere at the Riverside Studios in London on 5 June 2024. 
