Matthew Ribnick As 'The Chilli Boy'

Matthew Ribnick!

According to the flyer The Chilli Boy is ‘the hilarious story of an old Indian woman reincarnated as a white gangster from Boksburg’ and the description is what induced to me to invite some friends out for a theatre on Thursday. We laughed within minutes of the show beginning, so much that my friend asthmatic friend could barely breathe during certain parts of the play.

Matthew plays the protagonists of the gangster and the old Indian woman but what impressed me the most is the ease with which he transitions into all the other eight plus supporting characters, all with different mannerism, voices and characteristics.

Later he tells me he is able to execute a seamless transition into other characters because the playwright and director Geraldine Naidoo, who is also his wife of seven years, writes in rhythm and as they’ve been together fifteen years it is a rhythm he understands well.

The play demonstrates a myriad of scenarios ranging from dance-offs, emotional break downs, confrontations and of course taxi rides in South Africa, all credibly acted out by Matthew.  His ability rests in his own life experiences.  He says after the army he lived in Boksburg and also rode in taxis for ten years of his life until got his driver’s licence at age 26. He strongly encourages aspiring actors to truly experience life to enable to channel their experience and emotions. 

We spoke some more about the preparation involved of getting his various characters. Matthews struggled in the beginning and would sometimes lose his voice after a performance. He ended up taking voice lessons and finds that yoga helps him tremendously. Jedi reflexes are also utilized he says solemnly. It’s a lot of work each of the plays require about three months of development and rehearsal before being staged.  The Chilli Boy is in its tenth year run.

His next performance is in Monkey Nuts where he plays even more characters. The play starts on 9 November also at Joburg Theatre. As the play starts two days after The Chilli Boy finishes you might spot him at street intersections handing out leaflets for Monkey Nuts. I'll be there at opening night, compliment of Matthew.