SA WOMEN’S ARTS FESTIVAL

Durban's Playhouse Company has announced details of the 16th South African Women’s Arts Festival (SAWAF), which runs from August 3 to 11, 2012.

Held during Women’s Month every year, SAWAF has a long history of supporting women’s arts and creating valuable dialogue whilst showcasing cutting edge productions. This year’s festival comprises an exciting mix of drama, poetry, dance and music. Through these productions, SAWAF seeks to highlight important issues that affect the lives of contemporary South African women, and celebrate their triumphs.

“In staging the South African Women’s Arts Festival for the 16th year, we once again embrace a vital part of our mandate to foster women’s skills development, particularly in the arts as well as to engage on social issues such as women and youth empowerment, job creation and social cohesion,” says Playhouse Company Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Linda Bukhosini. “This year’s SAWAF features many incredible talents and we’re confident that our patrons will love every minute of this important festival.”

The festival opens with Matthew Hurt’s acclaimed Sailing Somewhere, starring top South African actress, Fiona Ramsey. This not-to-be-missed darkly funny one-woman show plays in the Playhouse Loft Theatre on August 3 and 4.

Legendary storyteller, Dr Gcina Mhlophe, hosts an Open Mic Poetry session (admission free) in the Playhouse Drama Theatre on August 4. The Open Mic Poetry session will feature top local artists, including Bongani Mavuso and Naima McLean. The popular Women in Dialogue session follows, with Nancy Richards leading a panel discussion on Nation building. Panellists include First Lady, Mrs Thobeka Zuma, and MEC of Arts, Culture, Sport & Recreation for KZN, Ms Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha.

The Women’s Celebratory Concert is a festival highlight and features the talents of Thandiswa Mazwai, multi-award winning South African musician who served as lead vocalist and songwriter of Bongo Maffin, as well as Xolisa Dlamini, Zahara, DJ Zinhle and Celeste Ntuli, South Africa’s funniest comedienne. This event takes place on August 4 at 19h00 in the Playhouse Opera.

Dance fans are in for a treat with a double bill featuring performances of Beyond Breaking Pointe and Worlds Apart at the Playhouse Drama Theatre on August 10 and 11.

Beyond Breaking Pointe mashes dance genres together to create a ‘Neo’ dance form. Director and head choreographer, Taryn Makaab and her Break-thru Dance Company will take audience members on an intense dance journey with elements as diverse as break-dancing, jazz, tap, krump and classical ballet.

Worlds Apart, choreographed by Adele Blank and featuring the talents of the Playhouse Dance Residency dancers, is a rich piece reminiscent of life’s always circular journey. The Playhouse established its Dance Residency programme in response to the scarcity of funding, training and facilities for dance and drama, and through it aims to create long-term opportunities for up-and-coming or previously disadvantaged artists to be given the space to continue to create works of art. This uplifting performance will be premiering at the festival.

Booking for all SAWAF productions is through Computicket on 0861 915 8000 or The Playhouse Box Office on 031 369 9540 or 031 369 9596.