Showmax’s feel-good sitcom “Mince Jou Hare” has quickly become the talk of the town.
Award-winning comedian Shimmy Isaacs wrote and co-produced the show as a tribute to her mother, Frieda Baarman.
Popular “Arendsvlei” actress Melissa de Vries is cast in the lead role as Frieda alongside comedian Dugald Pieterse as her husband, Vincent, Bianca Flanders as her best friend, Julia, and Franka Kirby in a breakthrough role as her daughter, Jody.
The show is set in the fictional town of Hex Valley in the Western Cape, and follows Frieda as she quits her factory job to set up a hair salon in her home.
Speaking about her character, De Vries said that Frieda was very relatable.
“She’s a woman who is trying her best to start her own business while running a household. She works hard, and she is honest and loyal.
“Shimmy (Isaacs) always used to say that statistically her mom was not supposed to make it. She was supposed to stay in the factory. But she proved the statistics wrong.
“She shows that it’s possible to do whatever you put your mind to. It's not about where you come from, but where you are going.”
De Vries was excited to take on the role, not only because the lines were simple enough to learn but because she understood the world Frieda lived in.
“The characters’ interactions felt familiar. One of my sisters, Sharon ‘Sussie’ Maarman, had her own hair salon. She’s not with us anymore but it reminded me of that world that I grew up in and how the hairstylist interacts with her clients.
“At the audition I had the most fun because we got to play, and whether I got the role or not, it was an experience that gave me so much hope.”
According to de Vries, the sitcom is funny, gives people hope and puts smiles on their faces and hearts.
“We need more of these types of stories,” she said.
“When I was growing up, I didn’t think it was possible for me to do this. Obviously I watched TV, but I didn’t really see people who looked like me.
“Then eventually ‘Arendsvlei’ happened. I feel like that show really changed the game for me because it was a full cast of Coloured people.”
She said that the coloured community was very talented but didn’t always have access or resources to enter the industry full time.
“Now I see more and more coloured people creating their own. The younger people are more courageous because they have a social media platform and they see people who look like them and sound like them on TV.
“I’m grateful to everyone who paved the way for us. They have shown us it's possible. ‘Mince Jou Hare’ also does the same.
“The show celebrates the people of towns like Worcester. Here’s a middle-class family trying their best to create a better life for themselves.
“So your dreams are achievable; you just need to work on your craft. It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” she ended.
∎ “Mince Jou Hare” is streaming on Showmax.