Paulo Menezes Pictures

“The camera makes everyone a tourist in other people’s reality, and eventually in one’s own.” - Susan Sontag

A Self-Portrait

People ask me why I prefer to be backstage as opposed to the front of the stage, and I can never fully answer that question.

Perhaps this picture will serve as an answer of sorts, until I find the right vocab to express my fascination for the space behind the curtain.

Here, two cast members of A Servant to Two Masters prepare for a tricky scene.

Purchase of the year. And it’s not even June.

Steve McCurry: Portraits

2013 Edition

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This morning.

Njabulo Zungu inks a portrait on the back of his script while he waits backstage.

The talent of these students seems to be boundless.

A Servant to Two Masters opens tomorrow night from the Courtyard Theatre, Durban, South Africa.

I am still spending time with the cast of A Servant to Two Masters (See April 11th)

The cast have moved out of the rehearsal rooms and into the theatre where they will continue to rehearse and construct the set.

Here, lead man Sipho Zakwe prepares before a rehearsal.

Theatre Nights

MY PICTURES ARE UP ON A WALL!

The past 2 weeks has been spent putting together my first collaborative exhibition. Durbanity opened tonight from the KZNSA Gallery, Durban, South Africa.

Durbanity is a photographic exhibition that addresses today’s Durban, it’s people and it’s infrastructure through the work of 10 photographers.

Pictures explained from top:

Me - looking goofy in front of my prints.

My section of the gallery (left) - stoked to get my own piece of wall.

South African Documentary Photographer; Peter McKenzie, opening the exhibition. Peter facilitates the Durban Center for Photography that runs out of the gallery. 8 out of the 10 photographers came from a 3 month course run by the photography school. I, along with a colleague of mine, have ‘junior lecturer’ positions at the school.

Dream-living.

A Drama student, Muvo Hlongwana, prepares before a show.

I am so in love with photography and people right now.

4:06pm

This week saw me in the rehearsal room with the cast of the Drama Department’s next show. A Servant to Two Masters opens in May from the Courtyard Theatre.

Here, a student reads his lines during a rest break.

Today I found myself Downtown in Madressa Arcade; accompanying a classmate, Shirin, on a shoot.

I fall more in love with this city every day.

I went to the Natural Science Museum this afternoon, which was a welcome change of pace.

See the full series here:

http://cargocollective.com/paulomenezesphoto/5352310

I’m back at the university theatre.

Here’s a mid-process screen grab.

The Game is directed by Nelisa Nkala.