(Mpume Mthombeni and Clinton Marius,
with some of the puppets from Marius’s delightful “The Calf with No
Name” which explains the importance of Nguni cattle in the context of isiZulu
culture. Pic by Val Adamson)
This year’s not-to-be-missed festival in
the KZN Midlands runs between September 12 and 15.
The annual Witness Hilton Arts Festival
comes of age. KZN’s foremost and respected arts festivals turns 21 this year
and is offering a bumper Jongosi mini-schools festival embedded in the main
arts festival, for high schools and primary schools to have a tailor-made
package ahead of the main event.
It will take place on the beautiful grounds
of the Hilton College from September 13 to 15 2013, with Jongosi taking place
over two days: September 12 for primary schools and September 13 for high
schools.
This is the fourth year in which the
Witness Hilton Arts Festival has hosted a special schools festival. This year’s
festival starts with two full days’ programme of age-specific arts-events aimed
at schools. Approximately 1,500 learners will experience the thrill of the
performing arts daily over the two day programme. It is a celebration of all
that is young, new and vibrant and has been dubbed “Jongosi” – Johnny Clegg’s
word from the Afrikaans meaning “jong os” which has become absorbed into isiZulu
parlance. Jongosi is designed to educate, entertain and allow learners to
expand their world-view. Now in its fourth year, Jongosi has been a phenomenal
success so it is being further developed for this year.
“Children will be fully occupied in a day
filled with performance, wonder and inspiration. They will have the opportunity
to experience a festival atmosphere as well as watching several performances.
Some refreshment outlets will be open. Alternatively, children may bring their
own packed lunch,” explains festival director, Sue Clarence.
The primary school programme starts with a
session with internationally-acclaimed story teller Gcina Mhlophe. Mid-morning
sees a new interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, The Nutcracker. The same team that presented The Snowman last year brings this story to life with puppets and
sets by Creative Madness, manipulated by members of the Actors Unemployed
Company. The award-winning actress, Clare Mortimer, once again delivers the
narration. The timeless music under-score, featuring Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, has been recorded by
the Pietermaritzburg City Orchestra, under the baton of David Plank.
Learners then have the option of seeing
either Thulani and the Rabbit, a
musical story told by Pedro the Music Man or Dr Pocket’s Ocean Commotion – a fabulous theatrical presentation by
Jacobus van Heerden and Clinton Small – and lots of fantastical creatures. The
final show of the day for the primary school group is Clinton Marius’s
delightful The Calf with No Name
which explains the importance of Nguni cattle in the context of isiZulu
culture.
A similar format is offered for the high
schools on Friday with various show packages to choose from, which teachers can
select depending on the ages of the learners.
A real coup for the festival,, and more so
for the Jongosi programme, is Solomon and
Marion – Lara Foot’s award winning production starring Dame Janet Suzman
and Khayalethu Anthony - the story of two injured souls searching for
redemption in the fragile, post-apartheid South Africa
The line-up includes A Guide to the Theatre – a romp through the state of South African
theatre including explaining the different genres and theatre etiquette, as
portrayed by the Actors Unemployed Company.
Gcina Mhlophe will also be telling more
stories, this time suitable for an older age group. Pedro the Music Man will
offer a programme called One Person One
Note – an interactive production with many instruments.
The fabulous Greig Coetzee has written an
informative, funny poetry programme called
Rhymes with Orange. Coetzee has taken some of the prescribed Matric and
high school poems, mixed them in with some of his favourites, and thrown them
into a fabulous teenage love story. Coetzee has directed The Rise of the Insanity League featuring heavyweight comedy
actors, John van de Ruit, Ben Voss and Aaron McIlroy.
Also on the menu is Jacobus van Heerden’s Super Chop with a cast of unforgettable
characters (all played by him!); and The
Epicine Butcher and Other Stories for Consenting Adults – a delightful,
sometimes naughty, award-wining production told using traditional Japanese
story-boarding, Kambishibai, by Jemma Kahn.
The
Line is the culmination of multi-award winning
actor, director Gina Shmukler’s Masters Research on trauma and theatre-making
which looks at what makes friends and neighbours become bitter enemies? What
makes good people do bad things? How do people cross “the line” between good
and bad? And why?
The final production in the high school
programme is a bonsai version of the fun classical musical, The Priates of Penzance. With just five
men, one pianist and a whole lot of dresses, eye patches and swashbuckling,
director Greg Homann brings this witty theatrical masterpiece to life.
On both days, the art exhibitions will be
up for the learners to explore, and there is a free presentation on stage
lighting for those who want to learn more about the magic of theatre, entitled Without Light, Only Radio.
Detailed information can be found on www.hiltonfestival.co.za or phone
033 383 0126 /7. Individuals or schools wishing to book or who require more
information should contact Sheryl or Doreen on 033 383 0126/0127 or email tickets@hiltoncollege.com. For
those schools unable to attend on Jongosi day, school packages will be
available over the festival weekend. However, programming may not allow the
package to be identical.
The festival would not be possible without:
The Witness, KZN Dept of Arts & Culture, Grindrod Bank, SPAR, TOPS, Black
Coffee, Budget, SAB and Star Hire.
Posts
