Twin talent shines in

entertainment industry

Marcel Spaumer and his twin brother, Marco, who acts in the same series, are proof that talent runs in the family. The NWU & U spoke to them about their parallel lives as writer and actor.

 

Marcel is earning a living doing what he loves most, writing. As story developer for the KykNET soap, he lives his passion and enjoys every moment of it.

 

“I was privileged to be part of the team that developed the concept behind Suidooster and it was wonderful to see how it evolved into one of the most popular soaps on television.”

As part of a small team, a day in his life entails coming up with new story lines, episodes and scenes. “It is definitely not the easiest thing I have ever done; reality is very different from theory; but it is a very exciting and rewarding profession.”

 

When not writing for Suidooster, he finds time to write poems and plays for teenagers. A few of his poems will be published in an upcoming compilation, Nuwe Stemme 6.

 

Learning the craft at varsity

 

For his undergraduate studies at the NWU, Marcel focused on language and literature and completed an honour’s degree in Afrikaans and Dutch.

 

He wanted to be more creative with his master’s degree and decided to research the nature and writing of the one-person drama. This equipped him to write his first one-person drama and laid the foundation for his work as a writer.

 

Fond memories of the NWU

 

“When I think of the NWU, the first memories that come to mind are the many Afrikaans lectures. I remember fondly how everyone loved the subject and how they all thought (and hoped) they understood the work of Breyten Breytenbach. We sure were a creative bunch who just wanted to tell stories and entertain each other.”

 

He says life in the residence also stands out. “I loved ‘Sêr’ and serving on the house committee of Ratau Lebone. I will forever remember rehearsing for months just to have a few minutes on the stage during ‘Sêr’ competitions.”

 

Looking back at his student days, Marcel says he would do it all over again.

“The evenings felt so long, but when it came to studying and doing academic work it was surprisingly short. There was absolute freedom on campus and in our classes. Potchefstroom was the one place I called home and was truly sad when I had to leave.”

 

He says the NWU with its diverse group of students and staff taught him that people are different and this is exactly how it should be.

 

Marco in the spotlight

 

The other Spaumer brother, Marco, alias Tim du Plooy of Suidooster, says what he likes most about his work is to be in front of the cameras every day. “I am a shy person and acting forces me to go beyond my comfort zone. It is very exciting.”

 

Marco studied music theatre in Pretoria and started out with a few productions for children. After a small role in the soap 7de Laan, Marco worked as a presenter for KykNET.

 

His career flourished and he landed roles in another soap, Binnelanders, and the musical, As jy sing. He also worked on KykNET programmes such as Kollig, Bravo and KykNET Sêr. As a theatre actor, his talents were employed in successful productions such as SAND at Stellenbosch University’s Woordfees and Sak & Pak at the State Theatre in Pretoria.

 

Brothers in entertainment

 

Marcel and Marco don’t believe in sibling rivalry. “We are happy if one of us gets an opportunity.”

 

This is why the talented duo believe it is to their advantage to work in the same industry. As brothers should, they look out for each other.

 

“We like the same things and work well together in a team. We hope to have more opportunities to work together. Our dreams are to write a book together and to act together in a film. Another big aspiration is to make music together.”