Have you watched The Wild?

You probably read about how the drama began before the soapie made it’s way to your TV screen. Well, I was amongst those who attended the premiere at Montecasino, where M-Net stars walked the red carpet while members of the Creative Workers Union toyi-toyied outside.

Lele Ledwaba (dressed by Gert Johan Coetzee), Ian Robert & Amber van Rensburg

But I must admit that the journalist in me was torn between attending the premiere and witnessing the protest. So much so, that I paused to do a head count and scan the demonstrators when I was driving into Monte. I spotted Tony Kgoroge and an entourage of about 20 people; Hlomla Dandala was one of them.

The amount of people that were gathered at the Montecasino Nu Metro premiere exceeded that of the people who were picketing outside.

Flashing camera’s and screaming fans greeted the cast of The Wild as they strolled down the red carpet. Every cast member paused when they got to Elana Afrika who was conducting live interviews, which were screened inside the venue.

Designer Gert Johan Coetzee

M-Net had a long list of sponsors that included designers Suzaan Heyns, Gert Johan Coetzee, David Tlale and Carlton Hair Salon, so the actresses were dressed up.  But that doesn’t mean they were dressed well. The outfits that were designed for them didn’t suit their personalities or flatter their bodies.

Gail Nkoane in a David Tlale creation & Faye Peters dressed by Suzaan Heyns

I was especially disappointed with the outfit David Tlale created for Idols contestant-come-actress Gail Nkoane. But the ugly dress didn’t distract us from her beauty. Elana Afrika described her as “the girl from Idols who looks like Halle Berry”

Putla Sehlapelo & Clementine Mosimane

Tony Kgoroge’s replacement, Putla Sehlapelo didn’t let the controversy surrounding his employment reflect. I tried to squeeze it into our conversation but he just focused on the strengths of the soap and we interrupted by a frantic fan.

Champagne and canapés were in abundance. And guests helped themselves until they were ushered into the theater. The show officially began when local power couple, Connie & Shona Ferguson arrived. They both act in the soap, and they co-hosted the premiere together.

Connie Ferguson

Four episodes of The Wild were screened and the cast was also watching them for the first time. The soap is shot in HD and filmed entirely on location, on various sites, in a manner similar to South American telenovelas. The main backdrop to the story is a stretch of land that is home to a five-star game lodge.

M-Net describes it as “a story revolves around three families – the Lebones, the van Reenens and the Tladis. These families struggle to negotiate a cohesive future, but they are bound together because of their relationship to a special piece of land”

Tyrone Keogh & Briony Horwitz

If you haven’t watched it yet, then you can expect to see some wild animals, feuds, family struggles and love affairs. It took me two episodes to warm up to it and I was hooked by the fourth.

Melusi Yeni

The Wild plays on Mon-Thurs at 18:00, M-Net