FESTIVAL DIARY – DAY #2

June 22, 2010

The day followed the forecast exactly – cold and very windy – the only way you recognise people from KZN in this weather is through the eyes. The rest of the body is completely covered up! However, that’s it apparently for the next week when another cold front is due, but until then it’s sunny skies all the way. Perfect festival weather.

This year there is so much to choose from, it’s difficult to know where to start if this is your first time at Festival but there are always people around to share their experiences and knowledge and the Cue daily paper carries write-ups on main events and short reviews on the fringe programme.

This year the festival programme is no less than 248 pages. There are new venues, a new Hopper service and the introduction of the 2010 Standard Bank Ovation Awards, to name a few of the innovations. While it was fairly quiet yesterday when I arrived, the city is beginning to fill up and all round, there’s a good buzz.

This morning I saw Dark Laugh Theatre’s Kaput! directed by James Cuningham with Helen Iskander and Dorian Burstein – a formidable team, if ever there was one! I also saw the riveting, amusing and thought-provoking Extra-Ordinary - an aptly titled piece featuring Lucy Hind and Dave Toole – “one with no legs, one with no clue!” as described in the programme! Look out for these reviews on artSMart. – Caroline Smart