A tender look at ageing and family

Award-winning performer Camilla Waldman speaks to the SA Jewish Report in between rehearsals of Ladies of Lavare, in which she plays the elderly sister, Vera. 

What drew you to this play? 

Ladies of Lavare is beautifully crafted theatre storytelling. I appreciated the script from my first encounter with it, in the audition pages, and my respect and delight in the magical realism Tammany Barton creates with her two characters, the sisters Vera and Maureen, continue to deepen. 

Why do you believe it is an important work and one that people need to see? 

The director of Ladies of Lavare, Juliette Jenner, spoke to us about the “golden thread” as she described this story’s significance. It’s a journey of finding connections; remembering and repurposing, of community, of forgiveness – of working it through with one another. 

What is it that young people don’t understand about ageing? 

That people have value at each stage of their lives: in the fledgling moments, the growing ones, the elderly ones. 

What freedom have you personally found in ageing? 

Dr Maya Angelou describes success as “liking yourself; liking what you do and how you do it”. My 50s have carried many brave changes, moments when I realise: I didn’t do this in this way; this is new – and I am awed at the ways new understanding has transformed the way I see myself, and, in turn, inspired new ways of relating to the world. I have realised we can change our thinking, that we don’t need to live captive to thoughts that oppress. I now understand that freedom and responsibility are interdependent and safe spaces are not only places of support; they are also containers in which we can be vulnerable, have hard conversations in, and transformation is invited in. 

Through this experience, what have you learnt about getting older that has amazed or excited you? 

That you can still play when your knees are creaking and your eyes are not seeing as well as they did. 

Do you believe your sisters, or perhaps siblings, become more important to you in your later years? If so, why? 

I don’t have a sister, and I have a brother, two years younger than myself. We lost our mother six years ago and our sibling relationship has grown more precious as we navigate life without her presence in our lives. Making time for one another has become intentional and cherished. 

What has been most special or difficult for you in this play? 

It has been special working with the writer in the rehearsal room. Tammany has been so supportive from a creative and production place. And working alongside Shaeleen Tobin; she is a generous actor with so much heart – and humour; we laugh a lot. 

Who is the audience this play would most appeal to and why? 

Young and older will enjoy it. I’ve laughed a lot in the rehearsals and I hope we serve the play well that audiences can laugh too. There is a lot we recognise as true about being human and being part of a family. 

What do you believe will resonate most with the Jewish community, if anything? 

Ladies of Lavare is about the significance our elders bring to our daily lives. Our current world is often so busy and full that we can forget to pause, allow ourselves to look skywards, and appreciate this beautiful creation and the people that make it possible and precious. And the reminder to check in with those who may move a little slower than us. I know community is at the centre of Jewish life and the play is a rally call to remember this in each new day. 

• Ladies of Lavare is on at the Theatre on the Square in Johannesburg from 1 to 17 October.