‘Low Level Panic‘ runs at the Baxter Theatre from Saturday, February 21st to the 28th: a fresh, modern local adaptation of the original, highly acclaimed classic feminist script by Clare McIntyre, first performed in London in 1988. It was the curious combination of words pulled together within the title which first grabbed my attention.

Panic evoked a short-lived extreme, while Low Level dulled the sensation into an ever-present paranoia. I, along with many others, am no stranger to living with daily anxieties. This curious familiarity, which I craved to see explored on stage, led to contacting the local team behind the upcoming production and setting up a feature with producer Klara Robertson. She invited me to attend a rehearsal to gain insight for the piece and interview her and director Henu Baden.

“Situated within Cape Town’s socio-urban dynamics, the production foregrounds the immediacy and volatility of modern girlhood. The play is infused with humour, intellectual sharpness, and the constant negotiation with a world that oscillates between possibility and threat. Frances Sholto-Douglas, Simone Neethling and Maya Boraine each articulate a different facet of modern femininity, illustrating the tension between self-image, social expectation and the negotiation of desire and autonomy. Through incisive dialogue and sharply observed encounters, the production interrogates how ‘low-level panic’ becomes normalised as an everyday condition, revealing the psychological and social pressures that accumulate in seemingly ordinary moments.”

I had the pleasure of interviewing the dynamic director and producer duo, Henu Baden and Klara Robertson, at the Baxter Theatre. Meeting in the foyer, both young theatre makers radiated an infectious excitement after securing the Masambe Theatre, with the installation of the set and rehearsals well underway. Baden, an award-winning actor, writer and director, discusses the process of collaboration – highlighting the innate chemistry of working alongside Robertson and the cast. They view local fringe theatre as a formidable force, an endeavour framed by passion and an innate dedication to storytelling. 

Localising the script within a South African context, Low Level Panic does not dwell within the extremes of violence. Instead, it intends to illuminate the everyday. Low-humming anxieties of objectification, self-image, and the fear of violence fester beneath the surface, often left suppressed, forming part of a daring, distilled dissonance flickering in the periphery of our most mundane moments. 

The adaptation process considered imbuing the hyper-modern and contemporary, while weaving in the complex and nuanced socio-politics of Cape Town and womanhood. On rehearsals, Baden notes they are filled with play: games of all-encompassing embodiment, envisioning characters’ responses and quirks. Performers are encouraged to sing, dance, question and revolt in everyday scenarios, weaving a tapestry of immersive world-building beyond what lives within the script.

‘Low Level Panic‘ boasts its own original musical score, produced by Jordan Downs. The set design encompasses the contradicting tension of freedom and confinement, breathing life into the low-humming anxieties haunting the lives of young women. When asked about the casting choices, Baden and Robertson, like proud parents, emphatically respond, “We are so lucky to have an absolute powerhouse cast to bring the story to life.” Jo, Mary and Celia will be portrayed by Frances Sholto-Douglas, Simone Neethling and Maya Boraine – all remarkably talented and highly acclaimed local actresses.

“A mass catharsis, a delicious gut-punch.” For the duo, these are the essential takeaways: a blend of recognition and release. Producer Klara Robertson takes Low Level Panic and transmutes it into a high-level production, embracing every behind-the-scenes role with such impressive devotion and ease that it could put any mythical hydra to shame. Robertson, the driving force behind KMMR Productions, is certainly one to watch within the local theatre scene in Cape Town.

Follow KMMR Productions (@kmmr_productions) for more BTS content and future productions. Tickets for Low Level Panic can be purchased through web-tickets or by following the link on the Baxter Theatre’s website via the What’s On tab. The production will run from February 21st to 28th, kicking off daily at 19h30, along with a Saturday Matinee on the 28th at 15h00. Come, embrace mass catharsis, and witness Cape Town’s fringe theatre scene at its best: ruthlessly resourceful and ridiculously talented.