Sally Scott, Arts Editor of The Daily News, interviews, Daniel Botha, who appears in the title role of Neil Coppen’s new play, ‘Tree Boy’ at The Playhouse from 12 – 14 March (article reissued with kind permission)…

Durban actor Daniel Botha is in an enviable position. The lead in Neil Coppen’s cutting edge drama, Tree Boy (Coppen is one of South Africa’s finest actor/writers – the multi award winning Tin Bucket Drum is also his work), Daniel is now also “considering” roles in two up-coming KickstArt productions, Winnie the Pooh (he played Christopher Robin in Winnie last year) and Peter Pan.

“I’m considering these roles. I would really like to do them, but in the end my mum will have the final say.” His mum!? Did I mention that Daniel is 11, is an author (more later) and, clutching a harmonica (his dad plays, as does he) has the sort of impish looks which make mums coo?
Probably annoying for him - I want to ruffle his hair, but desist – actors don’t like this…


His mum and siblings (Hayley, 14 and Anthony, 17), recently emigrated to New Zealand, while Malvern Primary School student Daniel, due to all this work on offer, has opted to stay in SA, for now, with his step dad. Martin, Daniel’s step dad, is keeping the home fires burning until NZ finally beckons.

Tree Boy will run at the Playhouse Loft as a New Stage Production. Sadly it will have a very short run, March 12-14. Due to lack of funding, Coppen will not be able to take Tree Boy to the Grahamstown National Arts Festival this year, but he plans to film Tree Boy and then dispatch DVDs around the country and overseas to prick interest.

The funding problem is, of course, ongoing in SA. Maybe the “forensic audit”, promised in connection with alleged financial irregularities and the suspension of the Department of Arts and Culture’s deputy-general of arts and cultural promotion and development, Sydney Selepe, will shed light on funding allocation.

But, be that as it may, Coppen will make sure that Tree Boy and, thereby, Daniel’s work finds a widespread audience.

Set in the early 1960’s, Tree Boy follows the relationship between a father and son trying to cope with the untimely death of a wife/mother.

After the death, ten-year-old Benjamin Sprout and his postman father, Arthur, have to move from their rural farm property in the mountains, to a corrupt Transvaal mining town. Here the father drinks to drown his grief, while his son finds comfort in a forest, meeting an enigmatic story-telling old-man. All of which leads to irrevocable changes in Benjamin’s relationship with his estranged father and in the town.

Coppen also designed the production, Libby Allen directs and musical direction is in the hands of Karen Van Pletsen and Guy Buttery. A work with very technical design, Tree Boy is set to be a groundbreaking piece, with special visual effects by Cape Town-based animation company IAMINAWE.

This is Daniel’s first professional leading role in a straight drama and after chatting about how acting eventually overtook his interest in archaeology, (this is an old soul on very young shoulders…), he spills a few normal beans – to prove he is still a child… He reads - everything from his favourite Harry Potter to National Geographic “and any magazines hanging around.”

He “might” have a girlfriend - he is saying no more on that…  He listens to music, “I’ve got this really ancient MP3 player from Noah’s Ark” and is into Linkin Park. He is surprised that this doddering old journalist has even heard of, let alone is a fan of, Linkin Park. TV he “hardly watches” (how could he fit in the time), but if the UK sitcom Fools and Horses or the 70’s cult medical comedy/drama  M*A*S*H, come on, he’s glued. Like his mum, he “loves musicals” – from West Side Story to Moulin Rouge.

He plays cricket and tennis (Roger Federer is a hero along with Jacques Kallis) and, academically, is top of class.

Top of class? Is there anything he struggles with? No. His first book (not published yet, watch this space) sublimely titled Doggy Doo Does New Zealand (no relation to Debby of Dallas fame…) is written, with help from his maths teacher Mr Galvin and Daniel is currently working on his second, Brought By A Storm.

How about stage fright? “Sometimes on the first night, but acting is such fun!”
Carrying an important show such as Tree Boy on his shoulders seems not to phase him and Coppen is happy to have this “wise beyond his years”
actor spearheading his creation. “Daniel is just extraordinary, he has such lovely energy, he’s really what they call a natural.”

In ten years time, Daniel’s goal is to be “on Broadway” – writing and acting. Perhaps working with Nicole Kidman, one of his favourite actors.
Daniel goes misty eyed when he talks about Kidman and her role as the doomed courtesan Satine in Moulin Rouge. Now, if he was 20 years older…

So Daniel when you stand on that podium at the Oscars who are you going to thank? “I will have to mention Mr Galvin, he’s been a big influence in my life and another teacher Miss Hamilton.” He talks about his future Oscars speech with little sign of flippancy. Daniel Botha knows where he’s going. Now if only he didn’t suck at drawing…

* Performances, 7pm (12-13 March) and 3pm, 7pm (Saturday, 14 March).
Tickets R45, Computicket (083 915 8000) or call (031)-369 9540/369 9596.

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