The production opens in early autumn of 1887. It was a time when the Gold Rush was at the height of its boom in Barberton, with two stock exchanges running day and night, after a prospector by the name of French Bob discovered the famous Barbers Reef in 1884. This led to the largest influx of fortune seekers the country had ever seen. 1887 was the year of Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee - when so many toasts were drunk; most of the men folk were in an intoxicated state by the time they returned home. When the Gibson mail coach ran between Kimberley and Barberton and the fear of highway robbers was no mean threat. It was the year when a slip of a girl by the name of Cockney Lizz arrived on the scene - and became talk of the town. It was a time when Percy Fitzpatrick and his dog, Jock, still roamed the bushveld driving transport. It was the time when the Red Light Canteen and its bar girls caused quite a stir, with school girls trying to copy their hairstyles and fashion, to the utter dismay of the matrons of the town. It was a time when many a digger died of malaria and one brave saloon girl went to their tents to nurse them. 1887 proved to be a year that would be remembered by the people of Barberton and the frequenters of the Red Light Canteen.

The production traces the story of Cockney Lizz and the cast paints a collage of the milieu, characters and happenings in that era. Characters such as Cockney Liz (Barmaid who later owned the Red Light Canteen); Stafford Parker (Proprietor of a European Hotel and friend and confidante of Cockney); Percy Fritzpatrick (Transport rider and owner of Jock); The Golden Dane (Barmaid who is said to have been seen helping the diggers during the deadly bout of malaria) and many more exciting. characters. The Red Light Canteen promises to be one of those productions where the audience will be captivated with the story, the activities, stage set up and the cast. Not only is it based on a historical time, it offers an exciting “looking through the window” depiction of what went on in an intriguing canteen in Barberton in 1887. It truly is a production not to be missed.

UP Arts will provide production logistics for the show.