RENÉE FLEMING AND KZNPO

Enchanted evening with American top soprano and the KZNPO in the first concert of their tour together. (Review by Michael Green)

The American soprano Renée Fleming provided an enchanted evening when she sang with the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra in the Durban City Hall in the first concert of her South African tour.

Renée Fleming is an international celebrity, and it is easy to see and hear why. She has a magnificent and superbly trained voice, she is beautiful, and she has a personality of exceptional warmth and charm. In a wide-ranging programme, she stirred her City Hall audience to remarkable heights of enthusiasm and she was admirably supported by the orchestra and the conductor, another visiting American, Bill Eddins.

She opened with three songs by Handel, the music as distinguished and dignified as the performer herself. Handel’s long melodic lines were delivered with absolute purity of tone and impeccable phrasing. Then came a long scene from Verdi’s Otello, an excerpt that illustrated Verdi’s great power as a dramatic composer. Not the least beguiling aspect of the evening was the intermittent commentary given by Renée Fleming in introducing her songs, and she commented that this opera is an outstanding combination of music and libretto – “You can’t do better than Shakespeare”.

After the meditative aria from Otello --- “a prayer for the oppressed, the weak and the poor” --- she sang a strongly contrasting item from Verdi’s Sicilian Vespers.

In this first half the orchestra gave a crisp, clear account of Barber’s Barber of Seville Overture and a 60-voice choir contributed a rousing chorus by Verdi. Bill Eddins is an impressive conductor, energetic and vigorous but not unduly flamboyant and he elicited consistently good playing from the orchestra.

Renée Fleming (who has an excellent figure to go with a beautiful face) wore an elegant cream and gold gown during all this. After the interval she appeared in a stunning deep pink dress and was greeted with whoops and whistles from a section of the audience. “I take applause any way I can get it”, she said disarmingly. The gowns were designed by top New York designer and former South African, Henry Schickerling.

The second half was more popular in content: the jewel song from Gounod’s Faust, two arias by Puccini and orchestral items by Bizet (the first Carmen suite), Massenet and Saint-Saens.

Introducing O mio babbino caro from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, the singer said: “This is the universal soprano aria. I’ve sung it all over the world”. She proceeded to deliver the aria with exquisite artistry and was rewarded with rapturous applause. For an encore, she sang Summertime from George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, and she seemed to alter slightly, with great subtlety, the timbre of her voice to suit this music.

She brought on to the stage two Durban opera singers – Lionel Mkhwanazi lecturer at the Opera School and Music Academy at KZN and his student Lukhanyo Moyake - not many celebrities would be prepared to share the limelight with students. Then she led the audience in a kind of singalong of I Could Have Danced all Night from My Fair Lady.

And she had nice things to say about the orchestra and about the audience. A great personality and a great singer.

Footnote: I paid for my tickets, as I always do and, with a few others, I donated money to buy tickets for needy students. It was therefore with grim amusement that I learned that the orchestra office were giving away dozens of complimentary tickets at the last minute, notwithstanding earlier Press statements that “a few seats are still available”. Ah well, it was better that the seats were occupied. --- Michael Green.

The KZNPO has responded to the above by indicating that, like many theatre or concert organisers, tickets are set aside for sponsors, potential sponsors, VIP’s and political or community leaders. Only when it comes to two or three days before the event, is it possible to do a final reconciliation as to who has/has not replied. It was felt that, in order not to have an empty seat (as Mr Green suggests), the request be taken up from the Opera School (OSCA) for extra tickets for their students.

Editor’s Note: The cost of the tickets, however, did not deter over 200 students from the Music Department of the University of Transkei who secured their seats as soon as the booking opened. The boarded a bus at 04h30 on the morning of the concert and travelled up to Durban. It was a considerable example of Miss Fleming’s passion to support the opera style and her generosity of spirit that she came back on stage after the rest of the audience had gone to address these students.

Without a microphone, it was a major challenge for her to talk to them without straining her voice after having used so much energy in performance but the students hung on her every word. A suggestion that they sing for her, brought forward a young man who sang a tenor aria (unaccompanied). He received much praise from the diva in which she particularly mentioned his good command of Italian. The students then sang a group piece in which their performance was notable for strong focus and good harmonies. Bongani Tembe, artistic director and CEO of the KZNPO, promised that he would bring the orchestra to Mthatha some time in the future. No doubt it was a very satisfied and contented group that boarded the bus to take them on the long journey home to the Transkei. – Caroline Smart

MADAME PRESIDENT

(Pic: Gugu Buthelezi (mother) and Samke Mkhize (Nobuntu).)

KCaps, the resident theatre company of the Kwa Mashu-based Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre’s (EMAC), have produced a new musical titled Madame President which looks at the challenges that might arise should a woman emerge as President of South Africa. Receiving strong response from a highly supportive and appreciative audience, the opening night was graced by the presence of KZN Premier, Mr Zweli Mkhize.

In his introductory speech K-Caps publicist, Xolani Majozi explained that KCaps is on a permanent journey of discovering young talent, producing artists of a high calibre – some are now working around the world in various productions of The Lion King. Among these, is Sbongiseni Duma who is in the show on Broadway but currently enjoying a break at home. He happened to be in the audience and was invited onto the stage, where he made an impassioned plea to public bodies and sponsors alike to support the considerable amount of artistic talent among the youth of South Africa.

Madame President follows the story of a young woman from birth as the female part of a pair of twins to her lofty position as president. Her domineering and bigoted father (strongly played by Thandanani Qwabe) felt she was a bad omen, as he had only produced sons up until then. He resolves to have her killed so that she can be “married back to the ancestors” and thereby remove the curse.

Her redoubtable mother, however, beautifully played by Gugu Buthelezi of the serene smile, rebels against her husband’s decision. Calling her child Nobuntu and predicting that she will become Madame President one day, she sends the baby to her husband’s brother for safe keeping. His wife takes to the child immediately and Nobuntu grows up in their care. Still unaware of her true parentage, she eventually goes to university where she meets someone who is crucial to her very existence. Driven by the example of her idol, Oprah Winfrey, she perseveres in her journey towards the position she seeks.

Eventually, of course, the truth will out but this only makes Nobuntu stronger and more determined to champion the cause of women and to entrench their equal status with men.Samkele Mkhize’s performance is pivotal to this production and she doesn’t falter, her stature and controlled delivery commanding attention. Matching her performance and a major favourite with the audience was Lucky Simayile as her adopted father who handles the part of drunkard skilfully without stereotypical melodrama. As Nobuntu’s much put-upon but obedient adopted mother, Lungile Mkhize is a tall and striking actress with a dazzling smile.

There are some very fine scenes and the scripting is dramatic, humorous and philosophical – a bold departure for K-Cap productions. Special mention must be made of strong performances by Sandile Mchunu in a pivotal role; Vuyo Sishuba who appeared in a very humorous scene with Nobuntu’s biological and adopted fathers; sparkling dancer Zimbili Hlongwane, and singer Themba Magagula.

Designed by Wantasha, the costumes are bright and cheerful and the only ones I had a problem with were the men’s Egyptian styled costumes in the second half which looked really out of place. Up until now, K-Caps productions have featured mainly traditional dance styles but now see the introduction of contemporary dance. These are choreographed by Male Khumalo but they don’t always fit into particular scenes and are often very hectic. Slowing down the pace would allow us to better appreciate the moves.

Linda Ngcwensa (leader of gospel group Avante) is the musical director and this aspect of the production is rock solid – with some good voices and pleasing harmonies, involving a range of musical styles from maskanda and pantsula to passionate gospel. I was impressed by Njabulo Mzulwini and Hlengiwe Qwili who performed The African Woman is a Survivor and Khanyisani Shoba, Mlungisi Shabalala and Sduduzo Mseleku who sang I want to pay tribute to the Women of Africa.

It’s hard to believe that many of these performers are appearing in their first professional production. While the action never flags and the cast is well-rehearsed, focused and disciplined, the show was way too long on opening night but I understand that it has since received some judicious pruning.

While Madame President is performed in a bare stage concert format with no sets or props other than a couple of sheaves of grass, I believe it is KCAP’s best production to date in terms of acting, dancing and musical standards.

Madame President runs in the Playhouse Drama until September 6 at 19h00 with matinee shows for schools at 11h00. Book at Computicket. – Caroline Smart

FRANK

(Pic: Chantal Snyman, Jonathan Tifflin and Gail Snyman)

Little gem of a dramatic piece running at Catalina Theatre. (Review by Caroline Smart)

Running at Catalina Theatre is a little gem of a dramatic piece written by Chantal, Gail and Megan Snyman. Originally titled Conversations with your Ex), it debuted at the 2009 Musho Arts Festival performed by Chantal and Gail with Megan in the director’s chair (see review on artSMart). It received such a positive response that Chantal and Gail were inspired to write a second act which has since taken the play in a new direction.

Now titled Frank, with Jonathan Tifflin joining Chantal Snyman and Gail Snyman, the production is set in Durban at the beginning of 2009. South Africa is in the grip of the controversial Zuma trial by media - coupled with election fever and a recession - and the play deals with family relationships. It also focuses on the power of secrets to impact and sometimes destroy lives.

The play opens with Dorothy and her daughter Delia (Gail and Chantal are mother and daughter in real life) relaxing after the wedding of Dorothy’s other daughter, Donna. Lloyd, brother to Delia and Donna, now lives in the UK and wasn’t able to make it to the wedding. However, he arrives in the second act (the extra part of the original production) and in conversations with his sister, we get to realise that all is not as cosy as it seems in the colder climes of the north.

As their reminiscences progress, the cast re-enact the personalities and situations that have made up their lives – a process which offers a wider dimension to the storyline. As we progress through some very funny impersonations, there are also secrets of a darker sort which have remained hidden for many years.

The “Frank” of the title refers to Dorothy’s late husband and we get to know him through the eyes of his widow and two of his children, all with differing viewpoints. The revelation of the result of her father’s actions presents Delia with a life-altering situation.

This is a well-written script with some refreshing humour and there are some delightful scenes. Particularly those featuring the irrepressible Chantal Snyman, either as a come-hither relation dancing at a wedding, an earlier boyfriend in Bruce Lee wannabee mode or a hairdresser in a seriously vengeful mood! There are also many moments of poignancy, emotion or sadness, all skilfully handled. All three performers present credible and sincere performances.

At first, I was pleased to see hanging microphones above the Catalina stage and I anticipated that this would help with the venue’s notorious sound problems. Unfortunately, rather than enhancing the actors’ performances, they inhibited them because they picked up – and amplified – the racket from the dreaded extractor fan. In order to rise above it, the cast needs to focus seriously on voice projection as the dialogue in some of the most poignant scenes was completely lost.

Now to the downside which has more to do with the hospitality – and therefore higher profit-making – aspects of Catalina. On several occasions, I have encountered situations where either spirits, dry white wine or the range of sweets has run out. Having heard grumblings from other sources and experiencing the same problem myself last night, it’s time to talk about this. Much as we hate to admit this in the theatre world, the bar and refreshment areas are the profit-making sectors that keep a performing arts venue alive. If there is a stock-replenishment problem at Catalina, this needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

Frank runs at the Catalina Theatre until September 6 with an age restriction of 16, although I didn’t find anything offensive in either language or content more than what can be seen in the average movie on television.

Tickets R90 (R45 pensioners, students and matinees). Contact Thandeka at the Catalina on 031 305 6889 or Chantal on 073 653 0067 or Gail on 083 643 1923 or Jonathan on 082 22 33 504. Charities or organisations wanting to fundraise are particularly encouraged to get hold of Chantal/or Gail. A special offer for corporates includes a dinner and harbour cruise with the cast. More information from Thandeka on 031 305 6889/ 305 7612 or email tsibisi@mweb.co.za

The Catalina Theatre is still functioning thanks to support from Rainbow Chicken, National Arts Council and Ethekwini Municipality. – Caroline Smart

BRUNO MEIER ENSEMBLE

Friends of Music presents bold trio in programme of chamber music. (Review by Michael Green)

It takes a bold trio to present a programme of chamber music by Joseph Kreutzer, Heinrich Neumann, Willy Burkhard, Rudolf Kelterborn and Anton Diabelli.

Never heard of them? Neither had I, except for Diabelli, and he is remembered today only because he wrote a waltz tune from which Beethoven fashioned 33 magnificent variations for piano. But this was the programme which a visiting trio from Switzerland gave to the Friends of Music at the Durban Jewish Centre.

Rather to my surprise, it attracted a substantial audience, and they were rewarded with some outstanding playing of compositions that also turned out to be a pleasant surprise; most of them, anyway. If the programme was unusual so were the trio themselves, a combination of flute (Bruno Meier), guitar (Han Jonkers) and viola (Nicolas Corti). They all come from Switzerland, although Han Jonkers was born in Holland. Their visit to South Africa and Namibia has been sponsored by a Swiss arts council, hence the inclusion on their programme of two twentieth century Swiss composers. The rest of the programme came from the early nineteenth century.

They opened with a very melodious and pleasant three-movement trio by Joseph Kreutzer (German, 1790-1840). He is not the man to whom Beethoven dedicated his famous Kreutzer sonata; that was Rodolphe Kreutzer, a celebrated violinist.

Joseph Kreutzer’s trio was elegant and stylish, and beautifully played. The composer gave most of the melodic lines to the viola and flute, with the guitar providing harmony and tonal contrast. I thought the combination worked very well, with the guitar sounding at times rather like a harpsichord. Most enjoyable.

Another German, Heinrich Neumann (1792-1861), provided the next item, a two-movement Serenade for viola and guitar. This, too, was very easy on the ear, with an admirable understanding between the two players and some virtuoso playing by the violist, Nicolas Corti, who produced a lovely rich tone throughout the evening.

This was followed by another, very different, Serenade, this one for flute and guitar, written in 1935 by the Swiss composer Willy Burkhard (1900-1950). The music opened with a rather Latin, South American flavour but soon moved into a modern idiom with many dissonances. The composer has deftly contrasted the two instruments, the flute playing far-ranging melodic phrases over a kind of arpeggio accompaniment from the guitar. Not ingratiating music, but not unattractive either. Most members of the audience seemed to find it interesting.

After the interval came Six Short Pieces for flute, viola and guitar by Rudolf Kelterborn, who was born in Switzerland in 1931 and still lives there. I suspect that for most listeners these short pieces were not short enough. Written in 1984, this is really sound effects music which seems almost experimental and offers little in the way of melody or rhythm.

Finally, we were given a four-movement trio for flute, viola and guitar by Anton Diabelli (1781-1858), who was born and died in Austria. His real surname was Damon, which means demon, and his father, a church musician, wisely decided to change it. This work turned out to be pleasant music of no particular significance, the best part being the contrapuntal third movement.

The players were given prolonged applause at the end of the evening and they deserved it; all three are exceptional performers.

The evening’s prelude performers, funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, were the quaintly-named Dr Fly and the Nurses, three young students who have modelled their act on the Andrews Sisters of long ago. The singers were Sophia Basckin, Amy Saville and Jessica Sole, and their close harmony and animated presentation took us back a generation or two with items such as In the Mood (Glenn Miller, 1939) and I Love the Java Jive (the Ink Spots, 1940). Delightful. - Michael Green

SHIRLEY VALENTYN

Mesmerising Surtie-Richards weaves her magic in Willy Russel’s one-character play at ABSA Kollig. (Review by Clinton Marius)

Strolling around the grounds of Port Natal Skool on Saturday afternoon it was heartening to see how many people had turned out to support the ABSA Kollig op die Absa KKNK 2009. Hundreds of people were browsing the fleamarket stalls, or enjoying vetkoek, pancakes, koeksusters and other delicious food. Music pumped from several venues and the family atmosphere was festive and exciting.

In the packed main hall, a boisterous audience waited for the start of one of the festival’s main attractions: Shaleen Surtie-Richards in Shirley Valentyn, an Afrikaans version of Shirley Valentine. Surtie-Richards is best known for her role as Nenna in the television soapie Egoli, and also for her legendary stage and film performance in Dalene Mathee’s Fiela se Kind.

Shirley Valentine is a one-character play written by Willy Russell, and takes the form of a monologue by a working class Liverpool housewife. The version of the play presented here was translated and directed by Hennie van Greunen. I must admit I had reservations about how such a quintessentially British piece would work in Afrikaans. A few minutes into the production and all my misgivings had been swept aside.

Set in the Cape, Shirley Valentyn expertly details the gritty and risqué humour found in the speech of the Afrikaans Cape Coloureds. If anything were to serve as an archive of this unique vernacular, it could well be this script.

Surtie-Richards, a grande dame of South African theatre, lived up to her reputation with a world-class rendition of Shirley’s journey of self-discovery. She had the audience roaring with laughter and hanging on her every word. It would be so easy for an actress simply to play for the laughs in this story, but Surtie-Richards displayed an intense and deeply informed understanding of the underlying desperation, frustration and pathos that the character experiences. With the simplest of gestures, the slightest of shifts in tone, she drew us into the tragic hurt that Shirley, with jolly bravado, has spent a lifetime concealing. In those few moments in the play, when real tears streamed down this actress’s face, as she drew us into the smallest, deepest places in her heart, the impact was palpable. On either side of me audience members were silently weeping with her.

The set consisted of no more than a table, two chairs and a bar, all deftly rearranged for the second act, when Shirley is on holiday in Greece. Another testament to Surtie-Richards’ prowess as an actress was that she performed the entire piece without an interval. An astonishing feat, and one that fully deserved the standing ovation she received.

South African producers and directors could take a few notes from this production. I challenge our local experts, when staging well-known plays-that-become-movies, to realise there is something of the ‘colour-by-numbers’, or ‘theatre-by-blueprint’ feel to lavish, exact copies of the originals. No matter how excellent they are. Shirley Valentyn proves that great works shine even in direct translation ... but that they can glitter when reworked idiomatically, as this piece was.

Shirley Valentyn was voted the most popular production at Aardklop and the ABSA KKNK, and it is one of the finest productions I have ever seen. It’s a great pity that it was only in town for one performance, and I hope the producer will consider bringing it back to Durban for a longer run. I would also advise if it is presented elsewhere in the country, that serious theatregoers fly out to experience the mesmerising Surtie-Richards weaving her magic. Or walk, if necessary! It’s worth it. – Clinton Marius

MICHAEL GREEN’S WINE NOTES #227

Wines from Asara and five-star accommodation.

The increase in tourism in the Western Cape in recent years has produced a remarkable growth in attractions for visitors to the wine farms: tasting facilities, shops, restaurants, nature walks, children’s entertainments and so forth.

One of the most striking of these developments has been the makeover, to use the modern jargon, of a venerable estate at Stellenbosch into a five-star hotel while retaining the property’s basic function of producing wine.

Asara is a relatively new name in the Cape winelands, but this 180-hectare farm about four kilometres west of Stellenbosch dates back to 1691. It used to be called Verdun, after the town in France that was the scene of a famous battle in the First World War. In 2001 the then owner, a retired Johannesburg businessman, sold the place so that he and his wife could travel the world.

The buyer was another entrepreneur, Markus Rahmann, who is part German and part Namibian. He and his wife Christiane had spent 15 years living in China, and they were keen to return, with their two children, to their African roots, hence his purchase at Stellenbosch.

He renamed the farm Asara, a word which is derived from the African gods of earth, sun and sky, the symbolism being the harmony of nature in the estate’s range of wines. The vineyards were well established, and today they produce 30,000 cases of wine a year, 65 per cent of it red.

Asara now has a range of 16 different wines, some of them with unusual names: Ebony and Cape Fusion, both red blends, Bell Tower, another blend, and Spirit of Chenin, a type of white port.

The big change from the past has been the opening of a 36-bedroom hotel which offers five-star accommodation, wine tastings and gourmet dining in two restaurants, all this in the tranquil setting of the vineyards and the Stellenbosch mountains.

The general manager is Horst Frehse, who was for many years in charge of the Grande Roche hotel at Paarl. The Asara hotel is a member of the celebrated Relais & Chateaux association of 480 hoteliers and restaurateurs in 56 countries.

The hotel took two years to build. African it may be in name and location, but it has an international flavour: classic European cuisine in the Raphael’s restaurant; a whisky and cigar bar named Sansibar after a bar on the island of Sylt (part of Germany) in the North Sea; Mediterranean dishes in a restaurant called Bistro and Tapas; unusual lamps and chandeliers from Markus Rahmann’s export lighting business in China; furniture and paintings from many other parts of the world.

The property includes a tasting centre and shops that sell imported clothing, delicatessen and confectionery items produced on the premises, and kitchen equipment.

And there is a big ballroom, suitable for weddings and conferences.

Asara is about 45 minutes’ drive from Cape Town and is obviously worth a visit if you want to buy wines or are looking for a lunch or a few nights in the Cape winelands. Or, of course, if you want to get married. Phone 021 888 8000. – Michael Green

ACT|DALRO SCHOLARSHIP FINALISTS

KZN’s Sibongisene Shezi among the finalists for the ACT | DALRO Performing Arts Scholarship for 2009.

Sibongisene Shezi, a talented, vibrant, hardworking Grade 12 learner and Deputy Head girl at the Holy Family College in KZN is among the finalists for the ACT | DALRO Performing Arts Scholarship for 2009. Having performed in Annie, Sibongisene is a member of the KZN Youth Ballet Company and received the Most Outstanding Student Trophy (Dance). This top drama student “never fails to produce excellent work and performances”, says her dramatic arts educator. “She is a wonderful dancer, singer and performer who sets the stage alight”.

Grade 12 learners from across the country auditioned for a place in the finals of the scholarship presented by The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) and the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO). Regional rounds were conducted in Gauteng, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal. A national round also took place in Grahamstown as part of the South African National Schools’ Festival.

“It was a great privilege to encounter so many passionate young artists, “said Brenda Devar, ACT Chairperson, after the regional auditions. “We found the majority to be articulate, goal- orientated and ready to use their creative voice to make a difference; it was not an easy choice to make. I celebrate all the learners who auditioned, I salute them for their effort and their passion which will doubtlessly serve them well as they define and make their way into the creative industries.”

The annual scholarship, with a total value of R75,000, will be awarded to one exceptional individual to study all the disciplines associated with the performing arts at an accredited South African tertiary institution of the winner’s choice. In addition to the first prize, five runners-up will receive Nedbank Arts Affinity Investment accounts with a R4,000 fixed deposit in each, sponsored by Nedbank and DALRO, as well as a R1 000 book voucher and book hamper from Exclusive Books.

"We are delighted that the Scholarship Competition has reached this advanced stage and thank the organisers, ACT, and the adjudicators, for their sterling efforts in distilling the entrants down to six extraordinary talents. We now look forward to a thrilling final round which will not only showcase the talents of six future stars, but also identify the Scholarship winner,” Gérard Robinson, the Executive Director of DALRO, said.

The finalists are Sipho Hlongwane (Eastern Cape); Courtney Leshay Smith and Steve Paul Norman (Matroosfontein, Cape Town), Kgomotso Mthembu (Diepkloof, Soweto) and Sven Ruygrok (Johannesburg)

The finalists will present prepared pieces comprising acting, singing and dancing as well as three group numbers, directed and choreographed by professionals, at the final round and awards ceremony which will take place at The Globe Theatre, Gold Reef City on September 29.

SUMMIT VIEWS #3

Mike van Graan’s weekly column on the build-up to the fourth World Summit on Arts and Culture in September.

This weekly column by Mike van Graan, Programme Director for the World Summit on Arts and Culture, will raise some of the themes and issues that will be debated at the event.

So what can the post-apartheid “Rainbow Nation” teach the world about cultural diversity, about racial and cultural tolerance, about using the arts for intercultural dialogue?

This is one of the roundtable themes of the World Summit on Arts and Culture to be hosted in Johannesburg from September 22 to 25. I wonder what “the world” would have thought had they attended the ArtSpeak event in Johannesburg – a preliminary opportunity for the local creative sector to engage with the Summit’s themes - on August 19?

Would they have been shocked to hear about Sowetans – international symbols of anti-apartheid resistance – marching in protest against the building of a new mosque in their area? They might have smiled when hearing about white South Africans having great difficulty with their new black neighbours who slaughter sheep as part of their cultural rituals. Perhaps they would have been intrigued by the story of a “coloured” man who bought a house in which to live in Khayelitsha – a “black” township in Cape Town – only to be hounded out by the local community as this was a “black” area.

These were some of the anecdotes emerging around the theme of the first ArtSpeak session - which echoes that of the second Summit keynote topic -: “Cultural diversity: essential for world peace or the root of all conflict?”

It wasn’t possible to talk about this theme in South Africa without the ongoing xenophobic violence against nationals from other African countries being raised as a concern. One panellist suggested that the National Arts Council should fund a Mozambican cultural festival as a means for South Africans to learn about and to have greater respect for our neighbours. An NAC board member reacted strongly saying that this would never happen, that board members would vote against such a proposal as “charity begins at home”, and that the NAC’s responsibility was towards South African artists.

In other parts of the world, governments are throwing money at (some) “immigrant communities” to integrate them into mainstream society, and perhaps reduce the threat posed by such communities, particularly those from Muslim countries. Others, in an attempt to build “multi-cultural societies”, make funding available through particular units of their arts councils or government departments to support the cultural and artistic practices of communities that may be on the margins of the dominant culture. While this raises other issues about whether such “special funding” helps to integrate or perpetuates the “ghettoisation” of such communities (another roundtable topic at the Summit), it would appear that this issue is not even on the agenda of national South African public funding agencies when the reality of our contemporary society is that there are millions of people from other African countries living among us.

The National Arts Council Act stipulates that funding is only available to South African citizens. But is it not ironic that we are hosting the World Summit on Arts and Culture on the theme “Meeting of Cultures: Creating meaning through the Arts” and having won the bid to host the Summit, partly because of the esteem in which South Africa is held internationally for peacefully overcoming apartheid, yet we cannot fund African artists living in our country?

There is - yet again - a debate currently about the absence of “African” arts journalists with some of the debate revolving around who is an African, as the protagonist in the debate appears to equate “African” with “black”, while people of all colours in South Africa consider themselves to be African. But while this tired neo-pencil-test debate rages, perhaps the protagonists should be asked – does this bemoaning of the absence of “African” arts journalists also refer to arts journalists from other African countries living in South Africa? For while there are one or two such “African” arts journalists working in our media, there can be little doubt that our own cultural and artistic practices will be greatly enriched by the insights, views and critical perspectives of more African arts journalists from beyond the Limpopo.

What does it mean to be “African” in South Africa at the moment when we are shooting Somalian shopkeepers and raiding their spaza shops? Or throwing Zimbabweans out of moving trains? Or burning Mozambicans?

Does “African” only mean pigmentation? Geography? What about values? Human rights? Dignity?
One speaker at the ArtSpeak event – someone with much experience in publishing and distributing African literature – bemoaned the role that South Africa plays on the continent, equating it with that of America globally. She labelled South Africa the imperialists of the continent, reminding the audience that much of our country’s wealth – (which makes it possible to provide funding to the NAC?) – comes from our exploitation of African markets where South African companies are the dominant players.

South Africa won the bid to host the FIFA World Cup, partly as this would benefit the rest of the continent. We won the bid to host the World Summit on Arts and Culture, at least in part, for the same reason. Whether that actually happens or not, is moot.

Perhaps then, it is not so much about what the world can learn from the “Rainbow Nation”. Perhaps it is more a case – as with our soccer team – of a humbler South Africa learning from Africa, and from the rest of the world?

For further information about the World Summit, see www.artsummit.org

LOTUSFM AUDIENCE GROWTH

Lotusfm records positive audience growth figures.

Following the release of both the June and August Radio Audience Measurement Survey (RAMS) figures, Lotusfm has recorded increases in listenership from 373,000 to 383,000. In addition, there has been an increase in revenue compared to the same period last year.

“This news is most exciting and heartening, especially during such tough economic times,” says Gail Samuels, Lotusfm station manager. “Research shows that radio advertising revenue nationally, is down by 19% this year, however, Lotusfm revenue is up by 16%, so I am thrilled with this progress. Increased revenue is a clear sign that our strategic partnerships and promotions are proving to make good business sense for our clients and sponsors as well.”

“In addition and equally significant, is that listenership has increased during the weekend shows. Our listeners are the backbone of the station and we value and appreciate their support, loyalty and opinions. The Lotusfm brand is uniquely inclusive, inviting people of all race and culture to ‘share in the Lotusfm experience’. Whilst recognizing that as South African Indians we are first and foremost a community’ with our own traditions, we live in a modern, all-inclusive South African culture.

“We have made some changes to our programming and DJ mix to meet the needs of our audience. In addition, our innovative marketing activities and community initiatives, such as the successful In-Mall and Winter Drive Campaigns, keeps us ‘on-track’ in terms of the station’s strategic vision. In the light of this Lotusfm remains committed to being relevant, interesting, entertaining, educational and inspiring in these changing times, to our audience and our Indian community.”

BOLLYWOOD GOES SOUTH

Fusion of comedy, theatre and dance for iZulu Theatre at Sibaya Casino.

A fusion of comedy, theatre and dance can be expected in Bollywood Goes South, a colourful production to be seen at the iZulu Theatre at Sibaya Casino from September 4 to 6.

Performed to popular South Indian music, the production is to be staged by Leona Dean in conjunction with the Tamil Federation of KwaZulu-Natal, the aim being to fuse Bollywood-style dance to South Indian songs in a way that makes it appealing to mixed audiences.

Also appearing on the programme will be popular comics Muthu Murugan and his brother, Sagie.

Some 30 dancers will perform original dances choreographed by Leona Dean set to popular songs such as Vaada Mapillai, Excuse Please Mr Kanthaswamy and Devudha.

The Leona Dean Dance Academy was established in 1995 and has redefined the concept of Indian dance. The company’s director, choreographer and lead dancer, Leona Dean is also a graduate in Bharatha Matyam and has choreographed dances for popular playwrights Essop Khan and Mohamed Ali.

Bollywood Goes South will have performances on September 4 and 5 at 20h00 and on September 6 at 15h00. Tickets R100 booked through Computicket.

NOISES OFF

Director Steven Stead has a fine Greg King designed set to play with, and a cast of Durban’s finest. (Review by Margaret von Klemperer)

Michael Frayn’s brilliant über-farce, set onstage and backstage with a touring theatrical company, presents huge challenges for actors, director and above all, set designer who has to create a revolving double-storey set, with numerous functioning doors, staircases and windows. Their jobs are made easier by a superb script, but Noises Off is no pushover with easy laughs.

For those who don’t know the play, the first act shows the chaotic final rehearsal of a farce, Nothing On, set in the home of a tax exile. The housekeeper is looking after the place and showing prospective renters around in between getting her feet up with a plate of sardines and the telly. The estate agent sees it as a convenient spot for a bit of dalliance, a bumbling burglar reckons it’s a soft touch for his skills and the owners want to sneak in below the tax-man’s radar to check on things.

This act is the key to the whole play: the actors have to establish their own characters, as well as those for the play within the play. Relationships and tensions between them need to be clear, and the dramatic business with plates of sardines and luggage must be needle-sharp so that when things go wrong, the audience is right there.

In the second act, we are backstage and halfway through the run with things disintegrating when Lloyd, the director, pops in to see how things are going and continue his fun and games with ingénue Roxy and/or stage manager Poppy. The final act is onstage again, and the last night of the run. Chaos reigns.

The ingredients are there for this KickstArt production. Director Steven Stead has a fine Greg King designed set to play with, and a cast of Durban’s finest, with acting honours going to Liesl Coppin as Belinda/the tax-exile’s and Michael Gritten as Tim the handyman. But it is not quite gelling as it should. A bit more attention needs to be given to getting established in Act 1: when something is going to be significant later on, the audience needs to be alerted to it. Anyone not knowing the play could have been forgiven for wondering why people were suddenly wrapped in sheets and claiming to be Arab Sheiks. And the tensions among the cast members must be crystal clear.

Once we get backstage, things are better, though I would have liked to see more made of the famous scene with the axe. Noises Off is right at the beginning of its run, and unlike the fictional Nothing On, things should settle down and tighten up. And then it will be all it should be. Margaret von Klemperer

"Noises Off" runs at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre until September 6 (book at Computicket) and will then have two performances at the Witness Hilton Arts Festival.

HERITAGE ARTS FESTIVAL

(Pic: Keith Calder’s “Side Kick” which forms part of the 2010 African Fine Art Collection)

Ambitious multi-layered, forward-thinking festival to take place in September at Kizo and Gateway.

The Gateway Theatre of Shopping and Kizo Art Gallery’s annual Heritage Art Festival is once again an ambitious multi-layered, forward-thinking festival of more than a dozen art themed events which will be held throughout Heritage Month at the Kizo Art Gallery and the Gateway Theatre of Shopping as part of the Celebrate Durban season. The Heritage Awards is one of the major events of the annual Heritage Arts Festival line up.

This comprehensive collection of exhibitions, workshops, installations, demonstrations, functions and retail opportunities has steadily gained momentum and is now probably the most expansive, exciting, significant and diverse exhibition of visual art and heritage to be held in this province and is considered to be one of the most important group showings of the year in South Africa. The list of participating artists reads like a “who’s who” of the South African art scene.

“We are incredibly proud and excited by the line-up and diversity of this year’s Heritage Festival,” says Kizo Gallery director Craig Mark. “We believe that together with our partners, we have created an all-encompassing art experience which will talk to the people of our city – from ardent art collector to passers-by with merely a passing interest in participating in the arts. The carefully-selected range of events will ensure that a full spectrum of heritage and arts opportunities is considered. On behalf of the gallery, we invite visitors and residents to our city to spend time at the Kizo Art Gallery and the Gateway Theatre of Shopping in September and in so doing, enjoy a chance to explore first hand some phenomenal heritage and art,”

The Heritage Arts Festival wishes to acknowledge its valuable partners: for the Heritage Festival - National Arts Council (NAC); Business Arts South Africa (BASA); Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism; Business Support and Markets Unit (BSMU); Celebrate Durban; eThekwini Municipality; and Gateway Theatre of Shopping.

For more information contact Nathi on 031 566 4322 or nathig@kizo.co.za

COMEDY SONG AND WINE

Simmi Areff to perform half an hour of comedy between two sets of live music.

Le Domaine’s Club de Vie in Hillcrest will present Comedy Song and Wine on August 26.

Simmi Areff will perform half an hour of comedy in the middle of two sets of live music. A new face on the comedy scene, he has been making an impression on audiences lately and people have described him as “a younger version of Freddy Mercury ... except with straighter teeth.

Also on the East Coast Radio Breakfast Team, Simmi Areff was recently a regular at the Catalina Festival for the Comedy Revolution and has shared the stage with Marc Lottering at the Wow Comedy Jamz at the Playhouse. He also opened for Riaad Moosa and John Vlismas in 2008.

Comedy Song and Wine takes place on August 26 at Le Domaine’s Club de Vie at 100 Acutts Drive in Hillcrest. Tickets R100 pp include main meal and dessert. Bookings essential on 031 716 8000.

OH YES, IT’S LADIES NIGHT…

(Pic: Tracey-Lee Oliver, Kirsty Madgin, Dave Guselli, Lizaan Vermeulen and Calli Thomson)

Barnyard Theatre’s inaugural Ladies’ Charity Night for August 27 offers fun and festivities.

To quote Kool and The Gang’s 1979 hit, “Oh yes, it’s ladies night, and the feeling’s right…” That sentiment hasn’t changed in the 30 years since they first sang those lyrics, so be sure not to miss The Barnyard Theatre’s inaugural Ladies’ Charity Night, which forms part of Gateway Theatre of Shopping’s Women’s month in August.

The Barnyard Theatre is staging a special ‘ladies only’ night of their current show LM Radio on August 27, which will see lots of fun and festivities and 10% of the ticket price going to Reach For A Dream. The evening and the show will be hosted by Dave Guselli who has traded in his East Coast Radio microphone to play the role of LM Radio’s resident DJ. He will introduce hits brought to life by a nine–piece live band and singers, as well as seeing through the ladies’ night proceedings.

The talented LM Radio cast takes the audience on a nostalgic trip featuring hits from the sixties and seventies in a non-stop party show which includes all time favourites like The Beatles, Tina Turner, Cher, Tom Jones, The Bee Gees and Eric Clapton.

Besides the show, ladies can expect a welcome cocktail, pampering by Mangwanani African Day Spa, Gateway goodie bags, fabulous giveaways, an evening packed with entertainment, and your parking paid for – what more could a girl want? The Barnyard Theatre’s kitchen will be open with gourmet pizzas available on the night, and a full cash bar will also be operational.

Ladies are urged to arrive when the theatre opens at 18h30, while the show will start at 20h00. Tickets R115 pp, except that there will be lots of added value to the normal ticket price. For bookings and enquiries, phone The Barnyard Theatre on 031 – 566 3045 or e-mail gateway@barnyardtheatres.co.za.

DUETS TO DYE FOR

A very pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon. (Review by Dawn Haynes)

The Rhumbelow Theatre in Umbilo is a relaxed, intimate venue perfectly suited for a pleasant Sunday afternoon’s entertainment. Bring your own snacks or meat for a braai (fires are always available) and enjoy good company and a good show. Drinks are available at a reasonable cost from the bar. This is definitely a formula that works – as was evident last Sunday afternoon at the performance of the latest show, Duets to Dye for.

The Family Players are well known in Durban for their Comedy Drag Mime (as it is described in the programme). This show also incorporated dancing and a singing duo. The dancing was performed by Kirsty Randall and Graeme Harpman who managed to execute some interesting and well choreographed numbers on this small stage. They are obviously comfortable together and the dance added another dimension to the songs.

The singing duo Belinda Dolphin and Junaid Cassidy (Jaz) were certainly spectacular! Their outfits became more and more glitzy with each number and I found myself waiting to see “what next??” To the extent that one’s attention is so drawn to the over-the-top costumes that the performance becomes secondary, perhaps this smaller venue would benefit from less dramatic outfits. While on the topic of costume, the Drag costumes were all superb. The wigs complimented each outfit perfectly and there had obviously been thought and care in dressing each performer.

With few exceptions, the mime (lip-synch) technique of these artists is great. Convincing and very seldom distracting, this difficult technique has been mastered by the majority. It is always refreshing to see such enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment by performers. Roland Stansell stands out as a natural entertainer who is having just as much fun as the audience! And the audience loved it! A charming “senior citizen” at the next table just could not stop smiling, applauding and bouncing along with the beat during every number.

All in all, a very pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon. So for those who don’t like travelling at night, take the opportunity of visiting the Rhumbelow! - Dawn Haynes

There will be a further run of Duets to Dye For from August 28 to 30 with Friday and Saturday performances at 20h00 (Sunday shows at 14h00 and 18h30). The venue opens 90 minutes before the show for a picnic meal, with braai fires available. No alcohol may be brought on to the premises as there is a cash bar available. There is limited secure parking.

Tickets R80. Booking essential through Roland at 031 205 7602 or 082 499 8636 or e-mail roland@stansell.za.net For further information visit www.rhumbelow.za.net

RENÉE FLEMING’S VISIT APPROACHES

The concert of the decade draws near! (Report by William Charlton-Perkins)

The classical music highlight of the decade is almost upon us. Opera superstar Renée Fleming’s long-awaited South African tour kicks off on August 27, in the Durban City Hall. The KZNPO management has announced its programme to be performed with its celebrated guest star during her tour. The generous choice of musical items reflects the soprano’s wide repertoire, while offering broad appeal for South African music-lovers. Rossini’s sparkling Il Barbiere di Siviglia Overture will be the evening’s curtain-raiser. Ms Fleming will then open with three contrasting Handel arias: the serenely reflective Dank sei dir, Herr; the beautiful love song, Ritorna, o caro e dolce mio Tesoro from Rodelinda; and the light-hearted virtuoso aria, Endless pleasure, endless love from Semele.

A selection of Verdi operatic favourites will follow. This will include the stirring chorus, Gerusalem! Gerusalem! from I Lombardi (to be performed by the combined Durban Symphonic Choir and African Chorus), and the rousing La Forza del Destino Overture, followed by Desdemona’s haunting Ave Maria from Otello, and the coloratura Bolero, Merce, dilette amiche from I Vespri Siciliani.

Bizet’s colourfully exotic Carmen Suite No 1 opens the second half of the evening’s programme. This will be followed by two famous soprano arias from French romantic operas, Massenet’s Cléopâtre and Gounod’s Faust, and the wildly spectacular Bacchanale from Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila. Puccini, one of opera’s all-time favourite composers, rounds off the formal sector of the evening, with performances of the Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut, and two soprano show-stoppers, O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicci, and the equally celebrated Vissi d’arte from Tosca. It is safe to predict the programme will also offer the thrill of a number of charismatic encores.

Renée Fleming’s concert in Durban City Hall will be followed by concerts the State Theatre in Pretoria on August 29 and in the Cape Town City Hall on September 1. Both the Pretoria and Cape Town concerts are sold-out. The Durban concert is heavily booked, but a few tickets are still available at Computicket on 083 915 8000.

So now’s your last chance to secure seats to hear one of the great voices of our age right here in our midst. The tour will also feature the American born conductor William Eddins, principal conductor of the Edminton Symphony Orchestra in Canada, formerly resident conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Barenboim.

GUY BUTTERY ALBUM LAUNCH

Durban album launch of “Fox Hill Lane”.

The inimitable Guy Buttery starts a national tour hot on the heels of sessions at Peace of Eden’s recording studio in Knysna where he believes he has produced his best album yet.

Fox Hill Lane is just off the press, literally, and makes its debut performance in his home town of Durban at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. It features an eclectic collection of local and international musicians who have collaborated with Guy over the last few years and his publicists believe that it falls nothing short of a relative masterpiece. Whilst the album could be fairly pigeon-holed as a beautifully crafted journey across an undulating landscape of fingerstyle guitar, it’s anything but derivative. Collaborators include Nibs van der Spuy, Dan Patlansky, Tony Cox, Piers Faccini, Madala Kunene, and Syd Kitchen.

At the age of 25, Guy already has three acclaimed albums to his credit, three nominations at the SAMA awards, numerous successful international tours and an exponentially expanding fan base. Having featured on the Australia’s Big Day Out festival in 2008, the Acoustic Festival of Great Britain and New York’s Long Island Festival, all in the same year, Guy’s career is definitely on the ascent.

A road show of performances across South Africa launches Fox Hill Lane in major centres during 2009. It’s an album to treasure and an essential element in any CD collection. Next year Guy returns to Europe, the UK and North America where fans are discovering his unusual style and his effervescent musical personality

The launch of Fox Hill Lane takes place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on August 31 at 19h30. Tickets R50 available at the door from 18h30. CD's will be on sale!

For more information visit www.guybuttery.co.za or www.myspace.com/guybuttery

MADAME PRESIDENT

(Pic: Gugu Buthelezi (mother) and Samke Mkhize (Nobuntu)))

K-CAPs presents a topical new musical in Playhouse Drama.

The ever-busy K-Caps based in Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre KwaMashu, have created a topical new musical perfectly timed for Women’s Day month, entitled Madame President, which examines some of the issues which would need to be grappled with were South Africa to democratically elect a woman as their next president.

Madame President is a new musical penned and directed by Edmund Mhlongo, with musical direction and music by Linda Ngcwensa (leader of gospel group Avante), choreography by Male Khumalo featuring a cast of 25 singers, actors and dancers all with the K-Cap company – about 80% of whom are first time performers.

There is a five piece live band on stage and the production is ideal for public audiences, as well as for daytime school groups.

Times are changing, and women the world over hold positions of immense power – politically, socially and economically. It can be argued that it would be a natural progression in the future of South Africa that a woman could emerge as an appropriate leader and ultimately be elected to the highest office in the land – that of President of South Africa.

Although South Africa boasts a progressive constitution, there are still traditional and conservative elements who would perhaps not easily embrace the thought of a woman president. This production looks at some hypothetical scenarios around the election of a South African woman president.

Quoting our former state president: “African women are ready to lead, but social beliefs and attitudes hinder their quest…united we stand, divided we fall… we have to make the point practically, not just in words, to have a woman leading in an equal position with a man,” Former President Thabo Mbeki, 2005.

“South Africa's ending of apartheid and commitment to non-racial elections in 1994 had enormous implications for Africa and the world,” says Edmund Mhlongo. “New Democracy brought a new sense of responsibility for present challenges and an acknowledgment that past colonial and neo-colonial influence cannot be always blamed for everything. Women have played an important role in the liberation. Many women suffered restriction, imprisonment, torture and even brutal assassination by the apartheid regime. But democracy also brought a new challenge: are South African women ready to lead?”

K-Caps publicist, Xolani Majozi explains: “Madame President seeks to showcase that a country of South Africa, (like Liberia) is ready to be led by a woman president. The production also illustrates challenges facing women who aspire for a top leadership post in the country. It does this by following the journey of aspirant woman, Nobuntu (played by Samke Mkhize). Madame President challenges stereotypes and examines the hurdles towards assuming the highest position in the country. As it journeys, the production uses examples of acclaimed African Queens and women, whom Nobuntu refers to as her role-models as she travels towards achieving her goal.”

K-Caps have a history of staging topical productions which address distinctly South African issues and tell relevant historical and cultural stories. Among their productions are Bayede Shaka – The Spear Is Born (2001) which was highly praised by former President Mandela after seeing it at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre with his grandchildren. There’s also Chief Albert Luthuli Tribute – One Among Many (2007-8); Jabulani SA-Celebrate (2004); Our Voice Our Rights (1998), Cry Not Child (1997), their trade mark production We Are Alive Kids (1995-6), and Just Don’t (2006) - all of which have successfully toured to Europe and America.

Madame President runs in the Playhouse Drama from August 26 to September 6 at 19h00 with matinee shows for schools at 11h00. Book at Computicket.

HANS JONKERS TRIO

(Pic: Bruno Meier, Nicolas Corti and Hans Jonkers on guitar)

Friends of Music to host Swiss ensemble on August 25.

Friends of Music’s next concert features the Hans Jonkers Trio, a Swiss ensemble comprising Hans Jonkers on guitar, Nicolas Corti on viola and Bruno Meier on flute. The American Record Guide describe them as an “International Ensemble whose renditions are sharp and endearing”. Their programme will include works by Joseph Kreutzer, Heinrich Neumann, Willy Burkhard, Rudolf Kelterborn and Antonio Diabelli.

The Prelude Players, sponsored by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund will be the Barbershop Singers (also called Dr Fly and the Nurses) featuring Sophia Basckin, Amy Saville and Jessica Sole.

The concert will take place at 19h45 on August 25 at the Durban Jewish Centre, 44 Old Fort Road, Durban. Tickets R70 (R60 FOM members and R20 students/orchestral members). Book at Computicket. There is safe parking.

KZN YOUTH CHOIR

Choir enchants a capacity audience. (Review by Lynne Goodman)

The KZN Youth Choir enchanted a capacity audience last Sunday at the UKZN Opera School’s Jubilee Hall, when they performed excerpts from their hugely successful award-winning appearance at the International Cecilia Seghizzi Competition in Italy last month.

Under the expert and dedicated baton of Gerard du Toit, the singers showed their versatility in a range from Ave Marias through jazz to jungle sounds. Their grunts, whispers and finger clicks were every bit as spine-tingling as their fortissimo crescendos.

The harmoniously mixed race group was as much at home in Latin American rhythms as in Afro indigenous songs, which were arranged with subtlety and skill and performed with artistic gusto. Seldom has youthful vitality been harnessed with such finesse. Their commitment was as captivating as their vocalising. They sang with their eyes and their whole hearts and when they left the stage after yet another encore, they stopped to greet, embrace or shake hands with strangers in the audience so warmly that they left more than a few happy tears in their wake.

Clearly this is the sort of thing that happened at the prestigious choir contest in Gorizia, where the singers not only won two Premium Gold awards in the jazz and folklore sections, but they got the public vote for the most popular choir. They also received a standing ovation - as they did in Durban.

Their matinee concert, officially tagged the Vice Chancellor’s Performance, seemed to attract mainly family members and academics in the know. But there is a chance for the public at large to hear this blissful group of choristers when they hope to perform a fundraiser at the Barnyard Theatre next month. - Lynne Goodman

YOURART

Promote yourself and market your talent with YourArt

In May 2008, a South African company called YourArt launched a user-friendly, interactive marketing and promotion website that caters for the promotion and marketing of South African artists and their original products both here and abroad.

Jann Robertson, a representative of the YourArt Team explained, “YourArt is not just a networking site although we do provide this opportunity to our members. Simply put, the YourArt website provides a platform for South African artists, from every genre to promote themselves and market their original work to target audiences via YourArt internet and mobile marketing and promotion campaigns”.

This interactive internet platform provides South African artists the opportunity to upload original material under five categories; audio, video, flash animation, graphics and words with useful functions like a blog, a chatroom and forum plus in the near future, a self-managed Events List and so much more. Here professionals, non-professionals and students can showcase their original; music, songs, music videos, short movies, animations, photographs, paintings, sculptures, poems, jokes etcetera so that they can be seen, heard and rated both overseas and here at home.

Members of a well-known South African band Teerpad stated, “YourArt is the future of marketing in the SA Music Industry. We as musicians can now reach a more specific audience and we can benefit financially without everyone taking a bite out of our profits.” Other members agreed. “YourArt’s fresh and enthusiastic approach to SA music and talent is just what we need to inspire and boost the industry” said Claudia Cox a songwriter, musician and registered member on the YourArt website.

Robertson concluded, “The intention behind the YourArt platform is not only to provide an effective interactive method of retaining a record of the growth of our distinctive South African talent but also a means to contribute to the evolution of our South African identity, as a unique creative force that deserves not only world-wide recognition and appreciation for original South African creations but also consistent cost-effective marketing and promotion opportunities for all South African artists.”

Interested parties that are 18 years or older can register for free at www.yourart.co.za and for more information contact Jann Roberson on 082 337 8188 or info@yourart.co.za

WORKSHOPS IN CREATIVE LITERACY #5

Becoming the person who is an artist.

Developing a professional image and learning to communicate effectively and confidently about one’s work is fundamental to the identity and success of an artist. Self-assured communication will maximize success with buyers, galleries, the press and the general public.

Terri Broll and Louise Hall will present their fifth artists’ workshop on creative literacy which focuses on both verbal and written communication skills and includes portfolios, resumes, biographies and artists’ statements.

The workshop will take place on August 29 at Kwanyoni, Hilton, outside Pietermaritzburg from 09h00 to 16h30. Fee R490 pp includes lunch and refreshments. Numbers limited so booking is essential. Contact Terri Broll on 083 477 55 99 or email: terribroll@iuncapped.co.za or Louise Hall on 082 922 8881 or email: louisehall@sai.co.za or visit http://www.theworkingartist.wordpress.com/

FACE OF POLICE SEARCH

Face of Police model search runs until October 31.

The Face of Police model search, which was launched in June, has already attracted thousands of entries and the website has been receiving up to 10,000 hits per day. The competition runs until October 31 and entries can be submitted online at www.faceofpolice.co.za or at Spec-Savers countrywide.

The winner will be awarded a year contract as brand ambassador for Police and will be the face of their 2010 advertising campaign. The weekly finalists are automatically entered for the international Face of Police search. Weekly prizes are awarded to finalists and members of the public can also vote for their favourites and accumulate points to be redeemed for POLICE merchandise.

Top local DJ Jonathan Bishop aka JonoStyxx became one of the latest finalists in the nationwide search for the new Face of Police. The 27-year old DJ lives in Gardens, Cape Town and models part-time with Muse Models.

LiPS RENDEZVOUS

Next meeting to take place on September 2 at Point Yacht Club.

The next meeting of the Live Poets Society (LiPS) will take place on September 2 which is also the second day of Spring.

Special guest will be up and coming poet Jonathan Ballam, the son of John Ballam, who is a poet in his own right and a former convenor of LiPS. Jonathan will present a taste from his collection called Plain Doggerel and A Collection of Creative Excrement. The Guest Poet has the boon to decide the theme for the evening and he has come up with The Dirtiness of Life.

Join the LiPSomaniacs for what they promise will be a “phenomenal night of Poetic Bliss” and an evening of meaningful poetry which promises to be an inspiration to all comers. “So let’s gather, keep the conversation clean, while we hang out our Dirty Linen in Poetry,” reads the invitation.

The LiPS Meeting takes at 17h30 for 18h00 on September 2 at the Point Yacht Club, Victoria Embankment.

WITNESS HILTON ARTS FESTIVAL

KZN’s foremost arts and culture festival to take place at Hilton College from September 18 to 20.

KZN’s foremost arts and culture festival - the annual Witness Hilton Arts Festival comes to the Hilton College from September 18 to 20 with a glittering line-up of cutting-edge drama, comedy, music and cabaret, as well as an impressive array of arts and crafts in a bumper programme that features an enticing mix of hot South African performers and artists gleaned from the most prestigious stages around the country including the Grahamstown festival in July.

There are invited productions on the Main festival, and a huge selection of productions on the Fringe. There are also children’s productions, various concerts and music revues, physical theatre productions,

This year’s flagship production is a triumph for the festival - a collaboration with top KZN theatrical producers, KickstArt. Together they are producing a brand new production of the ultimate backstage farce, Noises Off by Michael Frayn. This hilarious play tells of the rivalries and misfortunes of a bickering touring theatre company. Other Durban productions which are heading up the hill this year are Shear Madness - one of the world’s most popular comedy-thrillers, it combines comedy, a juicy whodunit murder mystery… opportunities for the audience to give input to help craft the script – and the resolution of the murder. Also from Durban is Wit - Margaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prize-Winning play. Wit engages both the heart and the mind. It is the story of Vivian Bearing PhD who has late-stage ovarian cancer. It isn't a tearful lecture on how to die; it's a dry-eyed lesson on how to live.

Mark Graham directs Dorothy Ann Gould and Michael Maxwell in one of the South Africa’s most enduring dramas, Athol Fugard’s poignant masterpiece Hello and Goodbye. Pictures of You is an enchanting little story produced bv From the Hip productions. The intriguing story of Karen Blixen is told in Longing for Darkness by Mia Have from Denmark.

The Fleur de Lis club is under new management and will run as a cabaret venue with the top Durban cabarets. The festival once again will have strong focus on classical music with an eclectic mix of more than a dozen concerts hosted by Christopher Duigan’s Music Revival Concerts featuring a myriad special guests and soloists.

This year the dance element will be provided by Rob van Vuuren – who together with his partner Mary Martin – will be doing a highlights package of some of the dances from Strictly Some Dancing marrying dance with comedy.

For a glimpse behind the obvious - there will be a series of Thinkfest lectures and discussions on a myriad of interesting and diverse subjects presented by leaders in their respective fields. For the third year there will be a curated art exhibition at the festival. This year there will be a focus on local arts and craft with regular arts workshops as part of the festival programme to take place at the Art School. There will be a special focus on food and eating this year with various food areas to choose from.

Festival-goers requiring accommodation are strongly advised to book early at one of the many B&Bs and hotels in the area.

Booking now open. Programmes and booking kits available at selected Spar stores or on www.artslink.co.za/hilton Kits can also be collected from Exclusive Books (La Lucia, Pavilion, Liberty Mall and Gateway), Adams in Musgrave Centre and Durban town, Cascades Bookshop and the Witness offices in Pietermaritzburg, and the Hilton College Theatre. Also from leading galleries and theatre foyers.

Detailed information can be found on www.artslink.co.za/hilton. For more information or a full programme and booking kit – visit http://www.artslink.co.za/hilton / www.artslink.co.za/hilton or the Hilton Festival hotline on theatre@hiltoncollege.com or phone 033 3830126. Info will also be found on the East Coast Radio website.

NAF EXPLORES EDINBURGH

A National Arts Festival Grahamstown delegation heads for Edinburgh.

A National Arts Festival delegation heads for Edinburgh, Scotland, to share South Africa’s top festival with the best of the global arts-world, and to see what can be brought back to Grahamstown from this internationally renowned arts-embracing city.

Edinburgh is known as the world’s Festival City, playing host to 12 major festivals throughout the year. Seven of these festivals run concurrently during the month of August, earning Edinburgh the title of being the largest most respected arts festival city in the world.

Tony Lankester, National Arts Festival CEO, will present a paper on Fringes around the World as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme on August 22. He will be joined in Edinburgh by National Arts Festival Fringe manager Kate Axe-Davies, and the Festival’s media liaison, Gilly Hemphill. “Our aim in Edinburgh is to expose the National Arts Festival and Grahamstown to wider audiences and to the media that support festivals around the world, promote collaborative exchanges with other festivals internationally and develop audiences,” he says.

There are seven South African productions that are part of this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme, which fills 200 venues across the city of Edinburgh which runs from August 7 to 31. South African favourites on the Edinburgh stages include the acclaimed Soweto Gospel Choir, the African Children’s Choir from Nkomazi, and SA guitar legend Tony Cox.

South African authors that will form part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival (August 15 to 31) programme include South African born Gillian Slovo (Black Orchids), Joel Joffe (The State vs. Nelson Mandela) and Alistair Morgan (Sleeper’s Wake).

William Kentridge, previous Standard Bank Young Artists Award winner, will also discuss his work, and particularly his collaboration with the Handspring Puppet Company, as part of the Edinburgh International Festival’s workshop programme.

Tony Cox will perform after a function hosted by the National Arts Festival for the Scottish media. This event will be held on August 24 with the purpose of discussing the impact of the FIFA World Cup on the 2010 Festival, how the Festival is opening its stages for the world’s performers and to discuss opportunities for the international press to cover the 2010 Festival.

The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Sunday Independent and M-Net.

DREAM QUEST

International Christian School presents its major theatrical production.

International Christian School will present the staging of its major theatrical production Dream Quest on August 27 and 28.

Set amidst a multi-cultural blending of music, colourful costume and dance, ranging from the exotic Turkish lands to the urban taxi land, Dream Quest carries an inspiring and profound message of hope and faith relevant to every learner in our rainbow nation. The central theme of the play is the bold, almost aggressive assertion of faith and perseverance in the face of despair, hopelessness and discouragement. The play offers a window into the world of a child’s imagination.

“Dream Quest draws the audience into a chilling awareness of the fragility of dreams; dreams which are crucial to the fulfilment of our God-given destinies,” says school principal Mrs M. Dolan. “These dream seeds sown into the hearts of our learners can so easily be snatched away by a number of negative influences ranging from a thoughtless remark to the dream destroying factors of poverty, disjointed families, unemployment, hopelessness and moral decadence prevalent in modern society.”

As an educational experience, the story identifies with the conflicts and pressures experienced by young people and offers creative and constructive ways of resolving and overcoming pressure. The production draws on learning outcomes from the Life Orientation and Arts and Culture Syllabus and visually directs the learners to use the acquired life skills to achieve and extend their personal potential. They are motivated to cling tenaciously to their dreams, rise above demanding circumstances and to emerge as victors in society.

The play with its racy wit, song and dance is not only an educational experience highlighting Life Skills, but is also immensely entertaining. Great emphasis has been given to detail and this is evident in the vibey up-tempo dance routines which all make for a kaleidoscope of entertainment and colour designed to inspire the children of our rainbow nation.

A matinee performance will be staged for all schools on August 27 at 10h00 with an entrance fee of R10 for learners.

The evening performance for the general public takes place on August 28 at 19h00, with an entrance fee of R25 pp. The venue is The Dome, corner of Garth and Galway Roads in Mayville, which is the largest aluminium dome in the Southern Hemisphere and the second largest aluminium dome in the world. Tickets will be available at the school office (08h00 to 15h00) and at the door. Ample secure parking is available for buses and other vehicles.

More information from Mrs D Smith on 031 242 5005, fax 031 2425072 or e-mail admin@ics.org.za

FRANK

(Pic: Chantal Snyman, Jonathan Tifflin and Gail Snyman)

New South African play about family relationships and the power of secrets.

Frank is a new South African play about family relationships and the power of secrets to impact and sometimes destroy lives, which opens at the Catalina Theatre on August 27.

Just what is Frank’s secret? Dorothy knows it, but she hopes that nobody else ever discovers it. Lloyd discovered it years ago and it drove him over the sea and far away from friends and family. Delia is blissfully unaware of how Frank’s secret is about to dramatically alter the course of her life. Set in Durban at the beginning of 2009, South Africa is in the grip of the controversial Zuma trial by media, election fever and a recession. A family wedding brings the Ogle’s together and the proverbial chickens come home to roost. Each member of the family has a secret and an agenda. Through their interaction and flashbacks, a pattern of family secrecy and betrayal is exposed.

Frank debuted at the 2009 Musho Arts Festival under the title Conversations with your Ex (review by Shika Budhoo at http://news.artsmart.co.za/2009/01/conversations-with-your-ex_23.html)

It was written by Chantal, Gail and Megan Snyman. Chantal and Gail performed and Megan directed the production for the festival. The original title came out of a discussion between Gail and her good friend Liza Aziz, a well-known documentary film maker. The play was well-received at the festival and this inspired Chantal and Gail to write a second act which has taken the play in a new direction, making a new title appropriate.

While Frank is a modern South African drama full of humour and pathos, it is also a universal story about how we are affected by the choices and actions of that intimate circle we happily or begrudgingly call family. Finally, it reveals that the truth will always out, no matter how deeply it is buried…

Frank runs at the Catalina Theatre (age restriction of 16) from August 27 to September 6. The cast includes Chantal Snyman, Gail Snyman and Jonathan Tifflin. Tickets R90 (R45 pensioners, students and matinees) available through the box office on 031 305 6889 between 09h00 and 16h00 from Mondays to Fridays from 09h00 to 13h00 (Saturdays between 09h00 and 13h00). The box office is closed on Sundays but tickets available online at www.strictlytickets.co.za

Charities or organisations wanting to fundraise are encouraged to contact Chantal or Gail. A special offer for corporates includes a dinner and harbour cruise with the cast. Those interested should contact Thandeka at the Catalina on 031 305 6889, Chantal on 073 653 0067, Gail on 083 643 1923 or Jonathan on 082 223 3504.

The Catalina Theatre is still functioning thanks to support from Rainbow Chicken, National Arts Council and Ethekwini Municipality.

NOISES OFF

(Pic: Ben Voss, Bryan Hiles and Lisa Bobbert in mid-chaos)

KickstArt’s well-knit and excellent cast do full justice to Michael Frayn’s helter-skelter theatre romp. (Review by Caroline Smart)

KickstArt’s well-knit and excellent cast is currently doing full justice to Michael Frayn’s helter-skelter theatre romp at the Elizabeth Sneddon before going on to perform at the Witness Hilton Arts Festival.

Apart from seeing the West End production in London in 1987, I have seen this hilarious and cleverly-constructed farce at least four times and, in order to set the background, I make no excuses in drawing from my review of the Pieter Toerien production in Grahamstown in 2005 (July 9).

“Michael Frayn aptly titled his brilliant and now-classic production, Noises Off, referring not only to the legitimate and scripted sounds as part of comedy action but as noises the audience shouldn’t hear when something goes wrong backstage.

To add to the enjoyment of this scenario, Frayne turns his set around – not once, but twice, so that we can see what is happening throughout a period of time from both a front and backstage viewpoint. It’s a convoluted situation and a props nightmare, not to mention that there are no less than eight doors through which the action must continue at breakneck speed.

Noises Off opens on the final technical rehearsal (no time for a dress rehearsal) of a traditional sex farce titled Nothing On. It’s nearly midnight and the cast is tired and irritable, some pre-occupied with personal problems, some still trying to find the motivation behind their roles and others just trying to keep the peace. Seated in the auditorium, the weary director less than patiently exhorts his cast to get their entrances and exits correct – let alone, their lines!, nag the crew to fix doors that won’t open and actually get through the act before the following night’s opening. To make things worse, one of his cast members is deaf and has a tendency to hit the bottle!“

The story of Nothing On is set in the home of tax exiles. The housekeeper is preparing to sit down with a plate of sardines to watch the Royal wedding on television when her quietly ordered life falls apart – as do several plates of sardines!

Michael Frayn wrote Noises Off in 1982 after standing in the wings and watching a performance of a comedy which he had written for Lynn Redgrave called Chinatown. He is quoted as saying, "It was funnier from behind than in front and I thought that one day I must write a farce from behind."

Noises Off could well be considered a masterclass of theatre technique. All the disaster areas are there: confrontations with the director, forgotten lines or moves, missed entrances or props that aren’t where they are supposed to be. Added to the mix is the personal angle where love/hate relationships within the cast can upset the smooth running of the show, and sometimes completely derail it! The play also helps to explain to the uninitiated the vital role that a director plays, something that is often taken for granted by the average audience member.

The cast has to operate on a number of levels – first as actors requiring the correct vocal and physical presentation for theatre. Then, when performing in the “play within the play”, they need to exaggerate their presentation. Thirdly, they have to emote as both their characters and the roles they play.

KickstArt’s multi-award winning creative team has come up with a major success. For director Steven Stead, the challenge is to take three “playlets”, as it were – the first act of Nothing On as seen in rehearsal, from backstage and again from the audience’s perspective as it plays its last performance - and make them a logical whole. This he has achieved admirably, drawing strong performances from his cast who maintain the punishing pace set by the playwright. For designer Greg King, the challenge was to produce a solid and sturdy yet credible set that not only revolves but can cope with all the tumbles and running around (often at top speed) - and there is the logistical nightmare of those eight doors! All credit to the backstage and technical crew.

This is an ensemble piece and the unity of its cast members is very evident. Lisa Bobbert is a delight as the housekeeper Dottie, her comedy timing perfect for this role. Bryan Hiles’s considerable agility stands him in good stead as Garry and Darren King is amusingly vague as Freddy who is prone to nose-bleeds at the sight of violence or blood. Liesl Coppin gives out just the right sense of flair and ladylike style as Belinda, Michael Gritten is suitably bemused as the harassed handyman and Belinda Henwood is adorable as the much put-upon stage manager. Peter Court pulls in the laughs as the doddery alcohol-driven Selsden and Ben Voss is commanding as the long-suffering director who is not averse to having his own off-stage relationships! Newcomer to the professional stage, Roxy Nel as the ditsy Brooke more than holds her own in such stellar company.

Don’t miss this – and it’s a production you should actually see a couple of times in order to reap the full benefit of Michael Frayn’s writing and KickstArt’s presentation.

Performances in Durban run at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre until September 6, with shows Tuesday to Saturday at 19h30 with an extra performance on Saturday at 14h30 (Sundays at 15h00). Tickets R90 booked through Computicket. For more information visit KickstArt’s website: www.kickstart-theatre.co.za.

Booking for the Witness Hilton Arts Festival performances (September 19 to 20) can be found at www.artslink.co.za/hilton or 033 3830126 or tickets@hiltoncollege.com – Caroline Smart

KickstArt presents Noises Off, funded by the National Lottery Board.

LEGENDS OF ROCK

(Pic: Andrew Webster)

Stuart Mey hosts rock concert style show at Sibaya with selection of hit rock classics. (Review by Caroline Smart)

It’s a far cry from the confines of the former Dockyard Theatre in Musgrave Centre to the spaciousness and technical sophistication of the iZulu Theatre at Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom but Stuart Mey has weathered the transfer in his inimitable casual style.

He produces and directs Legends of Rock a show which has a short run at Sibaya and features the welcome return to Durban of well-known musical theatre personality Andrew Webster.

Presented by Glamorous Productions and partnered by the Daily News, Legends of Rock presents a selection of rock classics, each one a major hit in its own right.

Andrew Webster’s professionalism and experience drive this production as does the strong presence of Stuart Mey who plays keyboards and sings. I personally think it was a little too soon in her career to place Kerry Lee McKibbin alongside these two stalwarts of musical theatre but she comes across as attractive and focused and experience will come in time.

The show is presented in a rock concert format and expect to hear chart toppers like Queen’s We will rock you with those unmistakable chords, Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love, Deep Purple’s Smoke on the Water, U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For and Bon Jovi’s Livin' on a Prayer. There’s also Summer of 69, The Best Days of My Life, You’re the Love of My Life, You Really Got Me, Don’t Stop and much more!

The surprise of the evening was musical director Bruce Boome. While his musical integrity is in no doubt, in recent years we have only seen him playing a fairly back-seat role in the Dockyard productions. My jaw dropped when he bounced (literally!) onto the stage as Keith Richards to Andrew Webster’s Mick Jagger in I Can’t Get No Satisfaction and went on to give a stunning performance as this virtuoso guitarist.

Apart from Bruce Boome on lead guitar - and one of his instruments is a see-through guitar, there’s Warren Morck on keyboards, Jeff Bloch on bass and Devon Hore on drums. Costumes are styled by Warren Morck using garments from Zip Code and Kevin Ellis, and hair styled by Shellie Michael Hair Salon.

Legends of Rock runs at The iZulu Theatre at Sibaya Casino until August 30 with shows from Wednesday to Saturday at 20h30 (Sundays at 18h30). Tickets R100 and bookings can be made at Computicket on 0839158000 or www.computicket.com – Caroline Smart

OFFER FROM ADAMS

Adams Books in Musgrave Centre presents special offer in conjunction with Pieter Scholtz’s Milo and the Sunflower.

Last evening, Pieter Scholtz launched his latest book Milo and the Sunflower at Adams Books at Musgrave Centre.

The storyline is about a teenager who suffers from epilepsy and during his fits, he travels on a series of journeys which places him in the times and creative mindsets of major impressionist and post-impressionist artists such as Goya, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso and Van Gogh. The artSMart review can be found in the literature and visual arts pages.

In support of the book’s considerable capacity to open the minds of young readers to the works of these artists, Peter Adams of Adams Books has come up with the innovative idea of linking sales of Milo and the Sunflower to publications dealing with the artists featured in the book.

To qualify for the offer, please download and print this article and take it to Adams in Musgrave where, on the purchase of Milo and the Sunflower (R105), a R40 discount will be offered on any art book dealing with Goya, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso and Van Gogh.

REJECTED ANGELS

Dance trailblazers of tomorrow in action in DUT four-piece dance drama. (Review by Caroline Smart)

Directed by well-known choreographer and dance lecturer Mdu Mtshali. Rejected Angels is a season of thought-provoking contemporary dance presented by The Durban University of Technology (DUT) Television, Drama and Production Studies running at the Courtyard Theatre until August 21.

Inspired by Albinism and featuring second and third year DUT Drama Students, the four-piece dance drama is inspired by Albinism. It features work by top Durban choreographers Musa Hlatshwayo (Amens!), Sifiso Khumalo (Harsh, harsh my soul), Sifiso Majola (The end is beginning), and Mdu Mtshali (A bird without song) himself.

Mdu Mtshali explains: “Rejected Angels addresses rumours and strange beliefs made by witchdoctors that, if you use a bald head when fishing, you get rich and if you spread an albino’s blood inside a mine you will find gold. These rumours continue but the people who follow witchdoctors do not question them.”

Performing in its early stages to a slow languorous guitar theme, Sifiso Majola’s The end is beginning) features 3rd year students. The work hinges on the words of the poem spoken: “When you come to a point of no return because of previous unresolved challenges some other challenges come into play.” Special mention here of Nombuso Gcabashe who handled the poetry, Mbalenhle Cele for her strong singing voice, Nontando Maphumulo’s sensitive poignancy and Mthandazo Mofokeng’s emotive first appearance, which sees him yoked and bound

Sifiso Khumalo’s Harsh, harsh my soul with 2nd year students sees his female cast dressed in strong turquoise which made a vivid statement. The poetic reference is “this life shouldn’t be a nightmare; this life should be words you like to hear.” There was a strong male content in this piece, including good performances from S’fiso Ndlovu (who also handled the poetry), Lungelo Ngcobo, Busani Mbili, Musawenkosi Ntuli and Nhlakanipho Manqele. Female dancers who impressed were Sinegugu Mbutho and Jabu Mabaso with Gcebile Dlamini and Philisiwe Sithole presenting a moving duet.

Always breaking new ground, Musa Hlatshwayo presents Amens! with the 3rd year students. This is a fascinating piece surrounded by apples – the idea being that once the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened by the apple, they began to be more aware of the different types – and especially skin colours - of apples. However, this is no angst work dwelling on racism but a fast-moving multi-media experience. The female dancers all wear porcupine quills on one hand which must have made early rehearsals a dangerous nightmare! If this was the case, it was worth it because those “long-fingered” hands give a highly dramatic element to extended arm movements as well as shadows cast on the back wall. Did I mention there were a LOT of apples? In fact, a cast of 16 munching apples gives birth to a new percussive sound! Special mention here must be made of the performances by Thobani Mbhele, Lerato Mafatle and Sazi Buthelezi.

Mdu Mtshali’s (A bird without song) with 2nd year students fairly burst into being with a powerful introduction by Menzi Mkhwane as the witchdoctor, a performance which remained riveting until the last moment. His sense of movement is so articulate it is difficult to believe that he is only a 2nd year student so this promises good work to come. A bird without song requires a strong sense of drama and emotion from its performers as they have to become souls possessed, disturbed spirits or walking zombies. I was impressed by Tumelo Khoza who needed to transfer from naïveté to lover - with supportive partners Lungani Malo and Mpilo Masuku - to frightened sacrificial object. Also notable were Haseena Hans, Fortunate Dhlomo and Yvonne Ludaka.

Each dance work has a different cast, indicating the strong talent that is due to move into the mainstream performing arts world in the near future. I was impressed by the maturity, standard of discipline and focus – no matter the size, height or body weight - of the performers. The choreographers also challenged their dancers with some complicated moves. The poetry extracts (not identified) were well chosen. All costumes were highly appropriate for the respective pieces and Luke O’Gorman (now theatre manager of The Courtyard Theatre) is to be commended on his lighting design.

If you’re interested in dance – and particularly contemporary dance – don’t miss it, you’ll get a chance to see the trailblazers of tomorrow in action.

Rejected Angels runs from August 17 to 21 August at 19h00 at The Courtyard Theatre (DUT Mansfield Road). Bookings on 031 373 2194 or email: lebohangs@dut.ac.za – Caroline Smart