Gym & Tonic goes to Grahamstown

Revered comedy actor, Tim Plewman will premier his hilarious new offering, Gym and Tonic: The Memory of an Old Muscle, at the 2016 Grahamstown National Arts Festival.

Inspired by his best-selling book, Fitness for Old Farts, Plewman’s latest play centres on the lives of three over 50 friends, who are battling belly bulge, among other ‘mature’ issues.

After the death of yet another friend in their 50s, Plewman and his co-stars Mike Huff and Russel Savadier decide to form the ‘Fitness for Old Farts Club’. Paul (Plewman), Jim (Huff) and Mike (Savadier), with the encouragement of their Zumba teacher (Caitlin Salgado) sign a pledge to live healthier lives, and in so doing, the intrepid trio set out on a hysterical quest to battle middle-age spread, fears of aging and even each other.

At this world-premiere of Gym and Tonic: The Memory of Old Muscle, Grahamstown audiences of all ages will be treated to heart-warming comedy that pokes fun, but also exposes every day concerns about health and wellbeing.

After watching Gym and Tonic, you might find yourself better equipped for those moments when you find yourself in front of the mirror thinking “what the hell happened?” And, if the old adage ‘laughter is the medicine’, is anything to go by, then this giggle-a-second show will have you dodging the doctor in no time.

Gym and Tonic: The Memory of Old Muscle will show at the Thomas Pringle Hall from 30 June to 4 July.

Show dates and times:

• 30/6 at 20:00
• 1/7 at 15:00
• 2/7 at 18:00
• 3/7 at 12:30
• 4/7 at 12:30

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/tim.plewman?fref=ts

Plewman has become one of the most sought after actors in South Africa, equally at home in drama or comedy. He is a dancer, humourist, director, writer and producer.
From his first leading role in 1978, in the comedy, Happy Birthday, Plewman has remained at the very top of the acting world for over 30 years, with numerous awards and unique achievements that set him apart from the rest.

He has starred in such diverse comedies as Two Into One (Fleur du Cap Award Best Actor), Doubles (Vita Comedy Award for Best Actor), Heel Against the Head (Vita Award Best Director) and of course, the play he is most remembered for, Defending the Caveman (Vita Award for Best Comedy Actor), which re-wrote theatre history by breaking all SA show records. Plewman decided to hang up his caveman skins after 9 ½ years and 1544 sold out performances… until now.

Plewman has also starred in numerous musicals, three of his favourites being, Snoopy!!!, Tom Foolery and Singin’ in the Rain.

As a writer, he has penned some memorable plays like Grin & Bare It, Breakfast with Dad, and The Insatiables, which won the Best Play of the Year at the SA Comedy Awards. In addition, Plewman has written such TV series as The Carruthers Brothers with Bill Flynn and Pure Plewman for MNET.

He is a prolific voice-over artist and, together with his wife, Cathy, has a highly successful production company which has produced 18 theatre pieces and over 160 corporate productions and videos.

In June 2013, Plewman was acclaimed for his tour de force performance in the one-man play, The Last Moustache, written by Greg Viljoen, performed at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown and the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. It is the story of an actor forced to play a Hitler double during the last weeks of WWII.

His book, classically titled Fitness for Old Farts was published by Random Struik, and rocketed to number 10 on the best sellers list in SA within the first month of hitting the bookshelves. This hysterical book centres on a serious subject close to Plewman’s heart; fitness and health. Plewman is now actively hosting motivational speaking engagements countrywide on the subject of fitness for old farts, and inspiring the over 50’s to regain fitness, flexibility and fun by showing them how to roll back the years and find new shape and vitality.

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