FOM: LUKAS VONDRACEK

Friends of Music’s next recital will feature pianist Lukas Vondracek. He has been acclaimed as one of the “greatest pianistic talents of our times” and has performed with many renowned orchestras and performs regularly in concerto and recital appearances worldwide. His programme will include works by Mozart, Smetana, Erno Dohnanyi, Josef Suk and Schumann.

The Prelude Performer for the evening will be Amy Diack (recorder).

The recital will take place on March 3 at 19h30 at the Durban Jewish Centre, 44 Old Fort (K.E. Masinga) Road, Durban. Tickets R70 (R60 SOM and R20 orchestral/students). There is safe parking.

Friends of Music is funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.

PARTICIPANTS ANNOUNCED FOR TIME OF THE WRITER

Writers from South Africa and Africa will gather for literary dialogue and exchange of ideas at the 18th Time of the Writer Festival.

Presented by the Centre for Creative Arts (University of KwaZulu-Natal) and made possible by support from the National Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Durban, the French Institute (IFAS) and the Goethe Institute, this 18th edition takes place in Durban from March 16 to 21, 2015.

The theme for this year’s festival, Writing For Our Lives, calls attention to the urgent continuing struggle of all writers in speaking truth and bearing witness to the times through their words. Globally writers are combating censorship when the truth is too hard to swallow, challenging the reader’s perspective and sparking a passion for literature in our youth.

During this activity-rich week, audiences can expect to engage with a multitude of award-winning writers, from a wide range of political and social contexts, on the creative and technical processes and perspectives which shape their writing.

Evening readings and discussions will take place at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre (Howard College Campus) while wide reaching free day programmes are spread across Durban and the surrounding areas as part of the festival’s ongoing efforts to promote and nurture a culture of creative expression through reading and writing. This includes school visits, a publishing forum and a range of seminars and workshops.

The line-up for the 18th Time of the Writer 2015:

Writers from South Africa include Carol Campbell; Imraan Coovadia; ZP Dala; Jacob Dlamini; Ekow Duker; Craig Higginson; Mandla Langa; Thando Mgqolozona; Kirsten Miller; M J Mngadi; Nthikeng Mohele; Given Mukwevho; Futhi Ntshingila; Margaret Von Klemperer; Mzilikazi wa Afrika, and Charlotte Otter.

They will be joined by two writers from Zimbabwe - NoViolet and Sue Nyathi as well as Ousmane Diara from Mali and Dilman Dila from Uganda.

Tickets R25 for the evening sessions (R10 for students on presentation of a student card). Workshops, seminars and book launches are free of charge. Book through Computicket on 0861 915 8000 or 011 340 8000 or online at online.computicket.com or at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from 18h00.

For more information contact the Centre for Creative Arts, University of KwaZulu-Natal, on 031 260 2506/1816 or fax 031 260 3074 or e-mail: info@cca-ukzn.co.za

ZANEWS NOMINATED FOR 11 SAFTAS

ZANews takes two major awards at the 7th Bookmarks Award, and gets nominated for 11 SAFTAs.

It’s been a great week for ZANews, first winning a Gold Pixel for Specialist Publishing Site and the award for Best Editorial Team at the recently held 7th Bookmarks Awards in Newtown, and then receiving 11 SAFTA (South African Film and Television Awards) nominations for Puppet Nation ZA.

The ZANews team not only produces South Africa’s favourite satirical puppet news show, but is also the online home of satire in the country, showcasing cartoons, columns and fake news stories (à la Hayibo and The Onion). It is ZANews' mission to make laugh, not war, as they believe that South Africa is generally in need of a lot of laughter these days.

Both Worlds, the production company behind ZANews and Puppet Nation, the actors, writers, editors, puppeteers, puppet-makers, producers, cartoonists, columnists, and technical crew state that they are honoured to share these accolades with its broadcast partner StarOne [a StarSat channel].

ZANews was born when French producer Thierry Cassuto and South African cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro came together to make their first puppet - Madiba, naturally. Launched online in 2009, it was inspired by the UK series Spitting Image and the French Les Guignols. The show is about making news interesting and relevant, challenging perceptions, and generally holding politicians and celebrities up to scrutiny and ridicule.

KAAKI SATTAI

Ster-Kinekor has released the latest Tamil film on its big screens with Kaaki Sattai screened from February 27 at Ster-Kinekor cinemas at Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Durban and The Zone@Rosebank in Johannesburg.

Kaaki Sattai follows a policeman as he tries to solve an important mystery case, knowing that the satisfaction he will derive from solving the case will prove that he is actually a good cop. Many high-profile people, including politicians and important businessmen are linked to the case. So, by stepping in to solve the case, he will also be stepping on many toes. However, he is prepared to overcome a variety of obstacles placed in his way to show that justice can be served.

Kaaki Sattai stars Siva Karthikeyan, Sri Divya, Prabhu, Vijay Raaz and Manobala. The film is directed by R.S Durai Senthil Kumar and produced by Dhanush P. Madhan. The film's music was composed by Anirudh Ravichander.

PUBLIC PERFORMANCE OF OTHELLO

(Clinton Small as Iago & Nhlakanipho Manqele as Othello. Pic by Val Adamson)

Think Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s Othello, currently playing to schools at The Playhouse in Durban, has one public performance. This will take place in the Playhouse Drama Theatre on March 10 at 19h00.

As ever before, the great work continues to hold today’s audiences in its grip, as its core themes of love, envy, corruption and betrayal remain powerfully relevant to the human condition.

Othello is produced by Margie Coppen and directed by multi-winning actress Clare Mortimer. Nhlakanipho Manqele plays Othello, with Cara Roberts appearing as his doomed young wife, Desdemona. Clinton Small reprises his award-winning portrayal of the villainous Iago, opposite Mortimer as his spouse, Emilia. Think Theatre’s accomplished cast also includes Darren King, Marc Kay, Bryan Hiles, Caitlyn Kilburn, Michael Gritten and Rowan Bartlett.

Tickets R100 (R58 students and scholars). Booking is through Doreen Stanley on 033 343 4884 or 084 556 0668 or e-mail doreen@thinktheatre.co.za

Think Theatre's production of Othello is presented in association with the Playhouse Company and supported by the University of Johannesburg.

DISNEY PERFORMING ARTS HOLIDAY WORKSHOP

Deadline: March 16, 2015

Calling all singers, dancers and actors from 9 to 16 – don’t be bored this holiday! The Rising Star Performing Arts (RSPA) Theatre School Academy offers a chance to get toes tapping, vocal chords moving and energy levels humming with their Disney Performing Arts Workshop to be held in April.

Over the three days the workshop will explore the top Disney musicals, work on solo and group performance pieces and end up with a short review for parents, family and friends to sit back and enjoy!

The workshop will be led by Sunny Sibiya, a Bachelor of Arts Music and Drama Performance Studies Graduate. Sunny’s training and professional performance credits include: Choreographer, scriptwriter and co-director for Northwood High School Musicals, Artistic Director 2013 KZN Youth Choir Fundraiser, KZN Youth Choir Performer. Dancer with the Flatfoot Dance Training Company, Vocalist with the Durban City Orchestra, Grahamstown Arts Festival performer, Company Manager for Rainbow Young Performers Project 2014 and professional performer with the B.I.G Improv Troupe.

Places are limited – registration closes March 16.

The workshop takes place from April 7l to 9 from 09h00 to 13h00, The training fee, for 12 hours of professional youth performance training, is only R500 for RSPA Students (discounted student rate) and R600 for non RSPA students. To enrol or find out more contact info@rspa.co.za