PANSA KZN had another fabulous Musho! International Theatre
Festival, their 11th festival of one and two person productions, which took
place from January 13 to 18, 2016, at the Catalina Theatre in Durban’s Wilson’s
Wharf.
Once more the standard of the productions was remarkably
high and the selection of productions covered a diverse range of subjects:
friendships, families and love in all its guises; finding a humane face to the
horrors of war; ghosts and zombies; paramedics and bird-lovers; funerals,
death, and dying; satire, comedy.... and the quirky and whimsical.
Productions came from the Netherlands (courtesy of Twist
Projects) and Mozambique (courtesy of Pro Helvetia and the Swiss Development
Council) and from closer to home – from Johannesburg, the Mozambique border and
a strong contingent from Pietermaritzburg.
“The work this year was of an exceptionally high standard,
and this reflected in the audience’s response to the performances and the
number of people that came back to the theatre, for show after show. The
festival continues to grow and we were delighted to offer such a variety of
work this year that showcased engaging concepts, writing and performance. It
was an inspiring week for those of us who worked on the festival, as well as
those who came to watch,” says Emma Durden, Musho! festival director.
Typically, the Performing Arts Network of South Africa:
PANSA, jumps into the new year with vigour by staging a busy festival which
showcase smaller theatrical works, all featuring either one or two actors. Each
production was staged for one performance only in a packed programme of 18
shows over five days; ending with a full day of two master-classes for theatre
practitioners and drama students - hosted by Dutch actress Saskia Driessen
looking at personal narratives as theatre, and Gerard Oldhaar, a Dutch
performer looking at street theatre as a genre.
Embedded in the festival were two sessions of Musho! with a
Twist – showcasing four productions -which has been created through the Twist
Development initiative which is sponsored by the NLC (National Lotteries
Commission) presented as two compact double bills.
Musho! Festival offers a selection of awards to festival
participants. These include trophies and cash prizes for the winners. Donors
for the awards included Ailsa Windsor from Going Places website and marketing
specialists; theatre regulars Tony Thoms and Lindi Drummond from LTJ travel and
a handful of anonymous donors.
In the emerging artists category, the Audience Favourite
went to the two-hander about the life of paramedics: Burn- Out (JC Zondi and Simphiwe Ngcobo); the Audience Favourite runner
up went to The Toilet (Ubizo Theatre
Company) and a special mention award went to Beyond Trust (Thandimpilo Theatre Group).
In the Professional theatre category, the Audience Favourite
went to Termite (Written by Greig
Coetzee, directed by Peter Mitchell); the Audience Favourite runner up went to
a charming show for very young audiences: Sunshine
Babies (written and directed by Gisele Turner) and a Special Mention Award
went to Sweetie Darling (written and
directed by Clinton Marius).
The Suliman Selection Trophy –given to the Suliman family’s
favourite show of the festival, judged this year by Devaksha Moodley and Tash
Reddy – went to Sweetie Darling. The artSMart
Trophy for best behind the scenes contributor went to Motaung Koalane.
For more information, visit www.mushofestival.co.za
The Musho! Festival 2016 is brought to you by PANSA with
support from The KZN Performing Arts Trust, Pro-Helvetia and The Swiss
Development Council, The KZN Department of Arts and Culture, The Daily News,
Catalina Theatre and Twist Theatre Development Projects (supported by National
Lotteries Commission).
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