David Kramer

Originally written in the early 1990s, Poison was very well received in South Africa, Malaysia and England. It had a return season, directed by Bobby Heaney, at the Baxter Theatre in 2004 as part of the Klipfontein Corridor Project.

With this reworked version of the powerful musical, Kramer has decided to tell the story from the point of view of Pamela – a social worker who is writing her thesis on drug abuse in the Cape Flats.

Kramer was also the Music Exchange keynote speaker, this year, and brought a wealth of knowledge to attendees; consider the fact that over two million people have seen his theatre productions.

I caught up with the master, last week.

When are you happiest?

I’m happiest when I’m in a creative space – using my imagination to find solutions to the problems I’ve set myself

What does music mean to you?

Music is a means of expressing and soliciting emotion.

What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?

Thinking about it, and collaborating with other creatives.

What drives you: ego or humility?

I think ego drives the creative process, but it needs to be tempered by humility.

Your heroes?

Many – from Charles Chaplin to Chuck Berry.

What is your most treasured possession?

A ukulele that was given to me by my oupa and ouma when I was six.

It’s your round, what are you drinking?

A dry white wine.

What makes you stand out?

An original vision. The pursuit of that which gives expression to how I interpret my situation.

If you were not a musician, what would you do?

I don’t think of myself as a musician. I use music and words to help engage others emotionally. I would paint.

Pick five words to describe yourself?

Curious. Hasty. Self-absorbed. Funny. Serious.

Favourite fashion garment:

My porkpie hat.

Give us some real proper slang and what it means:

Wakkerslaap: To be alert to possibilities.

Top of your bucket list:

I don’t make lists or have a bucket.

Your greatest achievement:

Performing my work on The West End, Broadway and Carnegie Hall.

What do you complain about most often?

Short-sighted politics.

What is your fear?

That the greedy will not be stopped.

Happiness is:

Elusive, but manifests in my connections with others.

On stage, I tend to:

Become the persona that I keep hidden most of the time.

www.davidkramer.co.za