South African born Sibusiso Mamba plays Solomon in Big Boys, a story about friendship across the racial divide in apartheid South Africa, now on at the Warehouse Theatre (see Theatre).

Q: What has been your best role and why?

A: Before the present role in Big Boys, I'd say Prospero in The Tempest at RADA, because it was probably the biggest challenge I'd ever had to face in the theatre.

Q: Which actor do you admire most and why?

A: There are quite a few actors that I really admire...but I guess I'd have to say John Kani.

He is such a magnificent actor and because of all that he and others did for South African theatre. They paved the way for the rest of us.

Q: What's been your favourite job when you're not working?

A: Favourite? Mmm...I suppose it would be doing ad hoc front of house management at the Civic Theatre in Johannesburg.

Q: What's been your most embarrassing moment?

Onstage or off?

Q: Well, both, if you like.

A: Onstage: getting caught and entangled in a fellow actor's costume and spending a good five minutes dragging each other around the stage, which wasn't, unfortunately, a requirement for that particular scene.

Offstage: Gosh there's been way too many!

July 16, 2002 15:30