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Talented youngster to play slave Sam
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June 30, 2009
 By Sally Scott
If he wasn't an up-and-coming young actor, currently in intense rehearsals for his first professional role (as runaway-slave Sam in Themi Venturas's production of Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), Bandile Hlophe would like to be Springbok rugby hero, "The Beast" Mtawirara.
The giant loose-head prop with the big heart is Hlophe's sporting hero, and shares a place on Hlophe's list of worthy idols with actor Johnny Depp.
Of Depp, Hlophe says: "He can take any role and make it absolutely his own, it's incredible."
Big River focuses on the classic tale of Huck Finn, the boy who fakes his death to run away from his "no count" father. He joins up with runaway slave Jim (renamed Sam in Big River).
The two lads proceed to drift down the Mississippi River encountering the flotsam and jetsam of folk who live along the bank. From conmen to murderers and an attempted lynching, Mark Twain's novel has it all.
Big River is this year's Young Performers' Project, which is, for the first time, being supported by Rainbow foods. The musical, an annual platform provided for stage-struck youngsters, mostly high school learners, will be staged at UKZN's Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre over the July school holidays.
The musical, based on Twain's novel, won a Tony Award in 1985, for popular singer Roger Miller (of "King of the Road" fame) who wrote the music and lyrics.
Last year's Young Performers' production of School of Rock was a sell-out.
Having matriculated from Amanzimtoti High, Hlophe is currently coaching rugby at Kingsway High, while weighing up his career options.
His mother, Shirley, is a teacher and taught in Surrey in the UK for a couple of years. Hlophe says, for him, it might well be a toss-up between teaching or sports science.
Then again, the Young Performers' Project already has one of its former actors in Hollywood. Adhir Kalyan (currently in Nip/Tuck) also plays a role in the cheerleader comedy Fired Up, coming onto the local movie circuit in July. So, who knows - from small beginnings ...
Up to now, despite a few acting roles during his school years, "I first became interested in drama when I did a show called The Selfish Giant which was directed by my mom when I was at school - I played the North Wind", Hlophe's interest in the stage has been more musical than theatrical.
But he's keen to spread his wings. He read Huckleberry Finn at 14 and loved it.
Hlophe is also a keen drummer. Making his way as "an established musician" on the national circuit would suit him very nicely as well. And the boy can cook! His mother must love him!
Playing this role means a huge amount to Hlophe, who counts his director, Themi Venturas, as one of his favourite SA actors.
"I've always been seen as more of a singer, but I believe I have the ability to do this and if one of the best South African actors to grace a South African theatre stage (Venturas) believes I can do it, it makes me feel a lot more confident!"
Big River: The Huckleberry Finn Story is a Rainbow Young Performers' Project running at UKZN's Sneddon Theatre from July 3 to 19.
This is the ninth annual Young Performers' Project which follows Annie, Curtain Up, One Voice, Grease, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, Wiz and School of Rock.
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