MEIRING'S OVER THE MOON

By Daniel Dercksen

2009 is the Year of Astronomy and Lizz Meiring is indeed South Africa's very own space cadet armed with red lips, high heels and 'Mickey Mouse' undies to celebrate this event with her one-woman show Vrou In Die Maan at the Suidooster Festival.

I recall working with Lizz Meiring about 15 years ago in Durban, when Sandra Prinsloo directed her in Jeanne Goosen's 'If Only We Had Arsenic'.

For Meiring - actress, director, writer, producer , presenter , and arts journalist - who celebrates 26 years in showbiz this year, it has been an "astounding journey" since then, marking an astounding track record of 10 awards, 15 nominations, - 309 Theatre productions, 258 TV productions, 14 feature films as actress, and 78 productions as writer and theatre director.

If this is not enough, she is also the author of 7 books, ranging from plays to novels and essays.

"I'm still creatively curious, still searching for that perfectly executed performance, perfectly written script, or perfect piece of directing, says Meiring, who is also directing Miss Africa South at the festival. 

"I suppose perfection will never happen, but I've learnt to enjoy the search."

Meiring shot to fame when she took on the role of Bokkie Bam, secretary to the Most Famous White Woman in South Africa, Mrs. Evita Bezuidenhout (when she still had her own Homeland) on stage and in the film Skating On Thin Uys.

"Bokkie Bam put me on the map, obviously because I was working with Pieter-Dirk," says Meiring, who was 21 years old when she teamed up with Uys.

"At one stage, by day, I was playing this deliciously naïve character, and at night I was playing Lady Macbeth! No-one remembers my Shakespearian sojourn, but everyone, it seems, remembers Bokkie.

"We travelled the world, doing political satire, played a range of at least 20 characters per night between the two of us. It was scary, but unbelievable fun!"

Pieter-Dirk has always been an important friend, mentor and inspiration in Meiring's life.

One of my fondest memories of Lizz was when she traveled back from Durban after a stint with Uys on the Blue Train, baby sitting a Maltese that was given to Uys' father as a gift.

When they arrived in Cape Town, the stowaway Maltese pup was covered in red lipstick and the centre of attention.

"Pieter-Dirk is like my showbiz dad (whether he likes it or not!)," says Meiring.

"I've learn so much from him. My love, respect and admiration for his skill as an artist, his political prowess and his sheer humanity, is boundless."

Meiring is excited that she will re-unite with Uys later this year in his newly written play 'Mackbeki'.

"Can't wait," she says.

Meiring, who has always been a formidable performer and phenomenal inspiration to other performers and audiences, says that she manages to maintain her abundance of energy because "Energy begets energy."

"I'm lucky," she says, "I have a tremendous amount of stamina. I try to take good care of my health. (I said I try to !)"

Vrou In Die Maan is a "very personal show but hopefully not an indulgent one," bemuses Meiring.

"It's a mix of tragedy and humour, pathos, social satire, irony, mythology, science, history and histrionic," says Meiring. 

"It's completely different to my previous 7 one-woman shows. I always try to stretch my and the audience's boundaries. Even if I don't always get it right, at least I'm trying to do original, fresh ad relevant work."   

Vrou In Die Maan contradicts the viewpoint that there's a 'Man on the Moon', with Meiring proving that it was a woman and not a man!  

She hopes that with Vrou In Die Maan audiences will experience pure 'magic".

"I want magic back in theatre. To quote Noel Coward: 'Theatre is a place of strange enchantment, a temple of dreams.'"

Meiring also directs Vinette Ebrahim in Miss Africa South, marking her 78th project as director.

The show looks at what happens to those who were once famous, and have now fallen into obscurity?

During the apartheid years, Asian, African and bi-racial girls were not permitted in the Miss South Africa contest, but had their own beauty pageant called Miss Africa South.

"It's a completely new work, only inspired by the basic subject matter of the late Barney Simon's Miss South Africa," says Meiring.

"I love directing," confesses Meiring.

"I especially love directing really talented, professional and inspiring actors - like Vinette Ebraim, who stars in this production. I had such fun working with her. She calls me a drill sergeant, a hard task master- but I've enjoyed every second of the process, and I'm so proud of Vinette 's work in this piece."

When asking Meiring about the spark that ignited her career, she admits that she always knew that she was destined to be an actress?

"There simply was no other destiny for me. Nothing and nobody could talk me into a different career."

Besides her shapely legs and red lips, Meiring's infectious laughter has always been one of her many endearing qualities.

Has it always been a part of her bubbly personality or is it something she acquired?

"I love the release and he sound of laughter," she says. "I don't think about how my laugher sounds when I laugh, I just let rip."

As for what makes her laugh, Meiring says that it's "odd things".

"Dark humour, delicate humour, cynical humour. Irony. Pathos. I don't enjoy slapstick, toilet humour and clichés. It must be clever, subtle, and fresh."

Besides her comedic talents, there is also a serious side to Meiring as a performer and artist?

"I do serious work, have always done it," she says." It's just never as visible as the comedic work."

"Die Vrou in die Maan, shows the serious side of my personality as well as the comedic side. I've never been a comedienne in the true sense of the word - I don't ad lib, or do standup comedy, I simply don't have the guts to do it! I have great respect for the skill of comedy - if you can play comedy you can play anything. It's very, very difficult. Comedy ain't no laughing matter!"

Who is the real Lizz?

"A curious being, a social being, hopefully a good communicator, hopefully a good creator, hopefully someone who still keeps growing, changing, evolving," says Meiring.

"My friends and my boyfriend says I'm slightly eccentric. I don't think I am. I'm just not living the supposed 'normally balanced' lifestyle. Boring. I work very, very hard, and I enjoy socializing and traveling, and museums, and everything with the Mickey Mouse logo. And history and art museums, and archeology. I'm a tree hugger ,animal lover, and spend money on good shoes and make-up, art and books and lingerie.  Now, does that sound eccentric???"

When she is not performing or directing, Meiring loves to "travel, socialize, and read" or you'll find her at the theatre, museums, or art exhibitions.

"I don't cook, don't do housework," she laughs.

For Meiring, her passion is sustained by "the continued discovery of how creativity works."

"I haven't found a recipe. That's good I suppose. I don't believe in factory line."

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Copyright © 2009 - Daniel Dercksen/ The Writing Studio