REFLECTIONS OF A FESTIVAL FIRST-TIMER

artSMart reviewer Keith Millar reflects on his first Grahamstown experience.

The slogan used by the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown is 11 DAYS OF AMAZ!NG! Well, I only had six days, but amazing they certainly were. Amazing sights, amazing sounds, amazing smells, amazing shows, amazing markets, amazing people. This town (or City – it has a cathedral, after all – and a pretty special one at that) becomes a riot of colour and excitement as the very best of the South African arts world, and some special overseas guests, strutted their stuff. All the artists and supporters are there for the same purpose, to celebrate creativity, and to have a damn good time doing it.

So as a first-timer what were my experiences? Following are a few thoughts which may be helpful to anyone thinking of attending the festival next year.

TRAVEL: We went by car. It is a long way and not exactly freeway travelling so it takes a long time. But it is do-able. A comfortable car, good company and some fine CD’s and it really isn’t too bad at all. We went the scenic route via Kokstad, Matatiele, Maclear and Elliot. It may be longer but the road is good and reasonably empty, and the views are pretty spectacular. It may be an option to break the journey and stay at one of the many B&B’s and lodges along the route. Of course, the best option if you can afford it would be to fly and hire a car. This would give you two additional days at the festival.

ACCOMMODATION: I stayed at one of the Rhodes University residences on a bed and breakfast basis. It is basic student accommodation but is perfectly adequate (if a bit pricey) if all you are looking for is a place to sleep after a day of making the most of what the festival has to offer. The breakfasts are very good and there are wardens (I wish they were called something else – “hosts”, possibly) on duty at all hours to assist you. However, if you need TV in your room, an en-suite bathroom and a mini bar, go somewhere else. There are a many other accommodation options available. But book early. I didn’t, and found availability and communication with booking agencies problematic. It was also suggested to me that it is possible to find much cheaper accommodation at other towns close by.

FOOD: Everything from the usual takeaways to fine dining is available. Some of the show venues offer food but it would be wise to check beforehand. At least one remote location I went to didn’t offer any food or drink and I ended up with a grumbling tummy during the show. All the markets have food courts with a variety of fare on offer. The Kudu Burgers at the Rotary stand at the Village Green were particularly good.

PARKING: With the huge influx of visitors to Grahamstown, parking becomes a real problem. This is very frustrating for the locals and the visitors. Possibly the organizers should consider some sort of park and ride scheme to keep the traffic in the centre of the town moving. This worked very well during the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

TRANSPORT: Most venues are accessible on foot if you enjoy walking as I do. There is also a very good “Hopper” service. This is a mini bus service which runs on a pre-determined routes. For a fee of R5 you can easily get to wherever you need to go. In fact, in a sense, the service was too good. It did not take much to persuade the cheerful and ever-helpful drivers to go off their route and drop you closer to your destination. This was good for you but a problem for the people waiting elsewhere for that bus.

Personally, I had one very good experience with a hopper bus driver. In a senior moment I left my cell phone on a bus. Several hours later, I phoned the number and the driver answered. Not only did he return my phone to me at the Monument but then gave me a lift back to town. You are a scholar and gentleman, Sydney. Thanks for making the Grahamstown experience a little more special.

OTHER THINGS TO DO: I visited the fascinating Observatory Museum with its Victorian Camera Obscura. Using a mirror in a turret on the roof, the device projects a 360 degree view of the town onto a screen in a darkened room below. It is exactly like a 19th century Google Map.

The special Cathedral mentioned earlier is very picturesque and also worth a visit. I found the other museums rather shabby and run down. One of the curators explained that funding has been severely cut and maintenance has become a problem. Grahamstown has masses of old and historical buildings and there are three walking tours available which visits many of these gems.

OTHER ENTERTAINMENT: The markets are a must. Anything and everything crafty can be found and you will probably spend far more than you intended.

FOR THE ENERGETIC: High Street and surrounds comes alive at night and there are numerous clubs, pubs and restaurants which keep rocking until early hours of the morning.

WEATHER AND DRESS: Before, during, and even after the festival, people warned me that the weather in Grahamstown can be harsh. This never happened this year. Apart from one evening when a cold wind was blowing and a bit of rain as we were leaving for home, the weather was very good indeed. Warm sunny days and starlit nights. However, in reality, Grahamstown can be very cold and wet. For most, the dress code at the festival is casual but warm. Dress in layers. Then you can take off or put on items of clothing as the temperature demands. Gloves, scarves and beanies are a must. Also take a backpack or shoulder bag to carry your programme, spare jackets and purchases.

WHERE AM I? Initially I found it difficult navigating my way around the festival. I would come out of a venue and not know whether to go left or right, where the Hopper stop was, or in which direction my room was. I did overcome this after a few days when I got used to the lay of the land, but at the time I thought that marshals, again a la World Cup, outside the venues would be very useful to help poor idiots like me.

PROGRAMME: The sheer volume of items in the programme can make it confusing when deciding what to see and where to go. A lot of time should be spent studying the offerings and working out your schedule. Unfortunately, the programmes were not available in Durban until a few weeks before the event.

VENUES: Don’t expect a beautiful theatre for every show you see. Every school, church and bowling club hall is inspanned to cater for the extensive programme of events. This is usually not a problem but I do feel that a little extra effort could have been made the create the correct atmosphere at the Cabaret club.

SHOWS: There is such a lot to choose from, I defy anyone not to find something which would suit their taste. The only thing missing are a couple of Super 15 rugby matches. But I suppose not everyone sees artistic merit in the game of rugby!

The highlights of the shows I saw were London Road and the Morris Goldberg Quartet. The lowlights? Nothing really. The standards were too high.

FINAL THOUGHT: The only thing I can say is why did it take so many years before I went, and how soon is the next one? – Keith Millar