NAF DAY #4: JULY 3, 2012

artSMart Editor Caroline Smart reports from Grahamstown at the National Arts Festival

Another glorious day of bright blue skies and winter sunshine – some clearly deranged people were even walking around in shorts! Festinos were out and about - the Village Green was busy and there was much activity in Grahamstown’s main street, High Street, which flowed over to the craft area between the Cathedral and the City Hall.

I can’t say that I could find anything interesting at this market unless you want to buy a bag, handbag or otherwise, as there are hundreds of all shapes and styles on offer. Generally, the traders have pretty much the same stuff we can find in similar venues around the country - stacks of bead and wire work. And there are similar stalls around the Drostdy Arch. With so much duplication, I have no idea how the traders survive.

Then it was up to the “real” craft market, The Village Green up near Rhodes. R10 gets you into the parking which is worth it unless you want to cruise around. As always, some beautiful products available and I am always drawn to materials and textiles. I spotted a superb quilt as well as some delightful children’s garments made from Eastern fabrics. There are stacks of food outlets and the beer tent was extremely busy. You could easily spent a few hours there, just browsing up the left aisles of the tents, then having a refreshment break and going back down the right aisles!

In the afternoon, I saw one of my most favourite pieces of the festival so far. Directed by Tara Notcutt and adapted from the stories of Herman Charles Bosman, Mafeking Road turns Bosman, the Groot Marico and Oom Schalk Lourens upside down, inside out and then spins it on a roundabout of very clever mime, vocal sound effects and multi-characterisation.

Andrew Laubscher and Matthew Lewis put in splendid performances in a myriad of roles in this slick and fast-paced two-hander which is presented sans set, sans props and sans anything else other than what they are wearing.

We leap from A Bekkersdal Marathon where the minister conducting a service falls asleep before telling the congregation how many verses of the psalm they are to sing. Fast sidestep to In the Withaak's Shade and then a quick scoot to The Love Potion. Meanwhile back at Bekkersdal, the confused congregation is now on Verse 62 ... and so the show continues in its delicious mayhem. It was a justifiable winner of the Standard Bank Silver Ovation Award for Physical Theatre in 2011.

Then it was a complete change of style for Off the Beaten Path presented by The Foot Musicians, formerly known as the Tap Talk Rhythm Company. The show features the current World Female and Duo Tap Champions and offered an entertaining hour-long programme choreographed by Sandra and Megan Rosenberg.

The 12-member company – which includes two male dancers and a male vocalist – presented good technique in an interesting and diverse programme full of energy, fun and charm. Subtle costume accessories like jackets or tops kept the production visually interesting.

I had problems with some of the choices of music which seemed too orchestral to provide the clear rhythmic energy needed for tap but this was made up for by the invigorating We’re Not Gonna Take It and the classic Singin’ in the Rain. I was also concerned with a sound balance where the backing track tended to overpower the vocalist.

Performances of both productions continue throughout the festival.

A new initiative by mobi site Grahamstown NOW has been launched allowing people to get half-priced tickets for shows three hours before they begin. (See article NowNowTix)