Alison to face new hurdle in stage play

[caption id="attachment_39310" align="alignright" width="250"] ALISON[/caption]

AS the survivor of one of the most vicious near- death attacks imaginable, motivational speaker Alison is accustomed to recalling the day almost 20 years ago when she was raped, disembowelled and left for dead after her throat was repeatedly slit by two attackers at Noordhoek in Port Elizabeth.

But now that her remarkable story of survival and triumph over adversity is to be played out on stage, the mother-of-two is a little nervous of what her reaction will be.

The stage adaptation of her bestselling book, I Have Life: Alison's Journey, which was penned by Marianne Thamm in 1998, will premiere at Johannesburg's Auto and General Theatre on the Square on August 6 ahead of Women's Day on August 9 – and Alison will be in the audience.

Directed by the award- winning Maralin Vanrenen, the play will star former M-Net continuity announcer Suanne Braun who now lives in London and recently completed filming a movie called Survivor with A-list stars Pierce Brosnan and Oscar winner Emma Thompson.

Speaking to Times Media from her George home which she shares with her sons Daniel, 10, and Matthew, 7, Alison said although she was excited about the play and trusted Vanrenen and Braun to portray her story, she was "fearful" about watching it.

"I have mixed feelings, because although I am very happy this is happening at the right time – it is 20 years since the attack – and am trusting Maralin will do it in the right way, this will be a whole different way to see my story.

"I am fearful about watching it myself – not in a negative way, but it will be cathartic. I don't want to do an ugly cry in front of everyone."

Alison said being interviewed for the book made her confront how horrific the attack by Theuns Kruger and Frans du Toit had been, and watching the play would be a similar hurdle to cross.

"Talking to Marianne [Thamm] made me remember parts of the attack I'd chosen not to focus on and once I'd done the book I didn't have to talk about it again because in my talks I focus on the positive.

"But if we ignore the bad things in life, they crop up later and demand attention, so it was important to address what happened in the book, so that I don't have to relive it every day."

Alison, who is an estate agent in George when not presenting motivational talks around the world, said she was honoured to be played by Braun, whose idea it was to adapt the book for the stage. "She is such an accomplished actress so I feel safe in her hands ... I have read the script and it is very powerful. It may be difficult for me to see the play, but I know the overall feeling will be that of triumph." - Barbara Hollands