by Nicole van Blerk

Van der Merwe – The Iconic South African character that holds a special place in all our hearts and minds.  The character that has evolved through countless jokes, anecdotes and campfire stories of his legendary buffoonery. A character we love and know, yet have never seen or heard. A character that never actually existed… but what if such a character did actually does? Well that’s what this movie, Van der Merwe, is about”, says Bruce Lawley, the film’s writer, director and producer.

Lawley first wrote the screenplay back in 2005, with the idea to create a film about a single character, much like Ace Ventura or Derek Zoolander, but with a South African twist. Van der Merwe was the natural fit as Lawley realized that there were younger generations of South Africans who were growing up without knowing who Van der Merwe was. He also wanted to write a film that would capture a younger market. Lawley originally wrote the script with the late Bill Flynn in mind for the title role, but it never came to fruition while he was alive.

The title role of Van der Merwe, or “Van” as he is affectionately known, is played by comedic genius Rob van Vuuren. He got the look just right, wearing a fat suit to create the ‘boep’ under his Safari suit, even shaving his head to create a receding hairline. When asked what it was like to play the role of this South African Icon, van Vuuren said: “It was a huge honour, a little daunting, but Bruce put together an incredible cast of actors, and that made me feel safe, allowed me to play and have fun in the role. It was important for me to make Van der Merwe believable and show that he was not just a joke, but that he was a person with a heart, hopes and fears too.”

This slapstick comedy aims to bring the character of Van der Merwe to life, and show that there is more to Van der Merwe than just the jokes. The story takes place on the Van der Merwe family farm, when Van der Merwe’s daughter, Marike, played by Reine Swart, returns from England, engaged to an Englishman, George Stokes as acted out by Matthew Baldwin. The news does not go down well with the Van der Merwe clan as Van’s father, Ian Roberts, does not approve of the union between Brit and Boer! Van der Merwe finds himself in a predicament, as he tries to come to terms with his daughter wanting to marry an Englishman while his father is breathing down his neck to end the engagement! When George’s family arrives on the farm to help with the wedding plans the cultural clashes begin, leading to some hilarious comedic scene’s and cringe worthy moments, interspersed with some classic Van der Merwe jokes. The cast includes other well know names like Barry Hilton, Andre Jacobs, Rika Sennet, Louw Venter, Erika Wessels, Melt Sieberhagen and Neels van Jaarsveld.

The film is produced by Craig Jones, Bruce MacDonald, Murray MacDonald, Bruce Lawley and is available in a cinema near you from 28 July 2017.

But wait, that’s not all! If your surname is Van der Merwe then you can stand a chance to win tickets to see Van der Merwe at Ster-Kinekor. Just fill in your details here: http://bit.ly/2u8Rl4v

This review was edited by David Simmons, Photos by Nico van Blerk

The post Van Der Merwe appeared first on Stage and Screen.

Hoeveel Van der Merwes is nodig om ’n troue te stop? Dalk net een. Dis te sê as hy dit hierdie een keer kan regkry. Maak gereed en hou styf vas aan al jou stereotipes, want die onderwerp van Suid-Afrika se gunsteling-grappies kry lewe in hierdie splinternuwe komedie oor die buiteperd. Ten volle toegerus met sy wanopvattings, vooroordele en kenmerkende onvermoë om suksesvol te wees, gaan Van der Merwe jou laat lag, huil, en ineenkrimp wanneer hy probeer om ’n moeilike situasie reg te stel, en ’n groot gek van homself maak, terwyl hy daarmee besig is. Sy liefdevolle vrou, beeldskone dogter, en statige aanstaande Britse skoonseun sal jou amper laat glo dat sy geluk besig is om te draai… of is dit?

https://youtu.be/Phoa25fAZRg

Vervaardigers Craig Jones, Bruce Macdonald, Murray Macdonald en Bruce Lawley bring ’n splinternuwe, tong-in-die-kies familiekomedie na die grootskerm, met Rob van Vuuren (Van) en Reine Swart (Marike) in die hoofrolle. VAN DER MERWE, wat afspeel op ’n plaas in Suid-Afrika, vertel die verhaal van Van se dogter, Marike, wat terugkeer na ’n oorbrugingsjaar in England. Maar sy is nie alleen nie. Haar verloofde, George, ’n Britse mediese student is aan haar sy. Dit skep die perfekte geleentheid vir talle probleme en uitdagings. Van moet nie net daarmee vrede maak dat sy enigste dogter met ’n Engelsman gaan trou nie, maar word ook deur sy moeilike, tradisionele pa beveel om dié verhouding te beëindig. Dit plaas hom in ’n baie stresvolle situasie en los hom met ’n moeilike besluit: staan hy op teen sy pa en aanvaar die troue… of gehoorsaam hy sy pa, wie se goedkeuring hy bittergraag wil hê, se bevel wat kan beteken dat hy sy dogter vir altyd kan verloor. Wanneer die aanstaande Britse skoonfamilie opdaag, word daar behoorlik kop gestamp. Dit ontaard in ’n kultuurstryd en lei tot verskeie kantkies-insidente en ander skreeusnaakse gebeure, wat lewe gee aan die klassieke Van der Merwe-grappies wat ons almal so goed ken.

Hierdie ligsinninge prent kry lewe met behulp van ’n verskeidenheid interessante karakters, wat spesiaal geskep is om Van se tekortkominge te beklemtoon. Bekende aktrise, Chanelle de Jager, vertolk die rol van Van se vrou, Suzette, wat vasberade is om die situasie te red. Ian Roberts speel die dominerende Oupa Van, wat beslis die gehoor se aandag sal trek. Ander akteurs wat in die fliek te sien is, sluit in Adrienne Pearce, André Jacobs, Rika Sennett, Erica Wessels, Louw Venter, Benedikt Sebastian, Matthew Baldwin, Neels van Jaarsveld en Melt Sieberhagen om maar net ’n paar te noem. Kurt Darren maak ook ’n gasvertoning as ’n sanger by die troue en Barry Hilton speel die rol van Freddie, die kroegman en Van se beste vriend.

“VAN DER MERWE is ’n goedvoel-fliek. Ons wil hê dat mense die bioskoop moet verlaat met ’n glimlag en die positiewe boodskap dat alles oukei sal wees, ongeag van jou omstandighede of tekortkominge. Maar dan moet jy vir jouself kan lag. Jy kan die lewe nie te ernstig opneem nie. Bly getrou aan wie jy is, moenie moed opgee nie en hou altyd aan met glimlag,” meen Lawley.

VAN DER MERWE beloof om kykers te laat skaterlag met skreeusnaakse familie- en kultuurkonflik, ongemaklike situasies, en katastrofes wat die Van der Merwe-titel meer as gestand sal doen. Dié rolprent word versprei deur Ster-Kinekor Entertainment en sal landswyd vrygestel word op 28 Julie 2017.

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