To A Rising Star

ALLOW me space to congratulate one of Namibia’s outstanding multi-disciplined artists: Steven Afrikaner, who recently charmed us with a top-class act at the NTN in the theatre play ‘Tura Springer’, which premiered on October 3 2012.

It is the fourth time I’ve seen Afrikaner in a theatre play apart from his singing rounds with his band and the cultural group he performs with, that I see mostly at conferences and corporate events. This time around he showed how much of a star he really is and how much he deserves praise for the part (a dumped criminal baby dad) he portrayed so amazingly well, running rings around some new and experienced actors in the cast of the play.
The first time on the play ‘A Friend in Need’ by Merilise Maletzky (for which he was nominated for an award), I thought that the actor was on the right path of becoming great if only he was going to work hard, and then the second time I was stunned with what he produced in the two plays of Jacques Mushaandja (with the latest one ‘The Shebeen Queen’) in the multiple characters he portrayed with genuineness, believable accents and composure.
Then on the play ‘Of Mice and Men’ with another great actor David Ndjavera in the director’s seat, he just blew me away again by being such a delight to watch. Now after seeing him in ‘Tura Springer’ directed by Magreth Nunuhe, playing triple roles of a hilarious Newscaster, a Pastor and the former Criminal, dumped Baby Dad, I am convinced that this actor is indeed a big deal if not the biggest and the best in Namibian theatre, especially with his dimension and versatility to be anything and everything on a stage.
My only wish, prayer and message to the artist is to remain the inspiration he is to many by avoiding the unnecessary flaws that come with the pressure in the form of alcohol, drugs and a big-headed attitude problem.
Afrikaner, keep the humbleness, you are sure going to reap fruits from it in the long run.

Belinda Burtze
Windhoek

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