Heat Festival THEATRE/ART: why do moths fly like crazy fucks in the night

ABOUT

This is a one-woman play by Sue Pam-Grant, loosely based on the life and work of Louise Bourgeois, which meditates on the artistic process. Originating from Pam-Grant’s MAFA thesis why do moths fly like crazy fucks in the night is an interdisciplinary exploration of the intersection of art, performance, and psychoanalysis. By creating a dialogue between two women artists across generations, Pam-Grant unpacks the fleeting nature of creativity in relation to a woman artist's reflexive process. The theatre is transformed into a liminal space for the audience to furtively watch The Artist grapple with her work, life, and inner demons. why do moths fly like crazy fucks in the night was nominated for a Fleur de Cap in 2023 for Best Performance in a Solo Show. 

“I was captivated by the journey throughout.” – Theatre Scene Cape Town (Barbara Loots)

“This is theatre as an intellectual exercise, but especially as a touchstone for the human condition.” – Die Burger

“Philosophy, art, psychology, sex, fierce and original thinking, and a wicked turn of phrase make this piece quite extraordinary.” – Weekend Special

Sue Pam-Grant is a transdisciplinary artist with an MAFA (with Distinction) from the University of Witwatersrand, as well as an honourary Doctorate from the Parkmore Institute for her thesis She Lines: The Duel/Duet of Eros and Thanatos in the Act of Drawing Desire. Pam-Grant's practice navigates the space between 'The White Cube' and 'The Black Box', spanning across visual arts, performance, and theatre. She blends autobiography with self-narrative inquiry, exploring the intersection of human fragility and resilience. Her diverse portfolio includes plays, performances, installations, and visual artworks, all of which have garnered international acclaim. Notably, in 2010, Pam-Grant collaborated with William Kentridge and Philip Miller to create I am not me, the horse is not mine; a videographic installation. In 2023, Pam-Grant was nominated for a Fleur du Cap for Best Performance in a Solo Show for why do moths fly like crazy fucks in the night. 

Fred Abrahamse is a director, production designer and partner in Abrahamse & Meyer Productions, whose theatre credits include multiple Shakespeare works, multiple plays by both Tennessee Williams and Steven Berkhoff, Steven Sondheim's Assassins, and numerous others, spanning both classic and contemporary playwrights. His opera credits include works like Sacred Bones and Mozart’s Requiem. Abrahamse studied Speech and Drama at the University of Cape Town. He has received the Fleur du Cap Best Director award for his work on productions such as District 6- The Musical, Beautiful Thing and most recently, for Contested Bodies in 2023. 

?Learn more about the festival

DIRECTIONS