(Feedback: a comedy/physical theatre piece
by Mpilo Straw Zondi & TQ Nzimande)
The Fresha Festival
is a brand new free fun family al-fresco theatre festival to be staged for the
first time on Durban’s North Beach at the end of the school holidays for three
days on January 20, 21 and 22.
Festival Director
Emma Durden considered: “What could be more quintessentially Durban than a
summer festival of free theatre, right on the beach?”
The Fresha Festival
starts late afternoon on January 20 with a promenade procession and performance
showcase to provide an overview of the weekend ahead.
The festival
programme runs on January 21 and 22, from noon until 17h00, offering a full
afternoon of diverse, family-friendly free short shows. Each day will culminate
with a Sundowner Showcase under the especially-erected beach Bedouin tent on
the Bay of Plenty Lawns at 17h00. These evening performances are charged on a
pay-what-you-can basis.
A varied day-time
line-up of carefully-chosen participants takes place on the beach-promenade and
has been selected to ensure that the programme is diverse, fabulous and
entertaining. Among the performers are the multi award winning Moving into
Dance Mophatong in Road choreographed
by Oscar Buthelezi who recently returned from Germany with a handful of
international awards for the work; fun street theatre comedy interventions by
Gerard O – a street performer from the Netherlands; physical theatre pieces by
respected Durban choreographers/erformers Mdu Mtshali and Shelby Strange; an
installation by Doung Anwar Jahangeer; Feedback:
a comedy/physical theatre piece by TQ Nzimande and Mpilo Zondi; productions
from various theatre groups working with the innovative Twist Theatre Projects;
a piece by Durban Deaf mime artist, Sibo Masondo, and guest productions from
Isil Vos of the Netherlands.
Each production
will have two 15 minute performances over the weekend.
Fresha Fest
replaces the popular Musho! Festival. After 11 great years, the Musho! Theatre
festival of one and two hander theatre had its final festival in January this
year. With the simultaneous closing of the Catalina Theatre and the KZN offices
of the Performing Arts Network of SA, Musho was no longer viable. Fresha is the
phoenix which has arisen from Musho’s ashes – a hip and happening street/beach
open-air festival – the perfect event to wrap up the Durban summer holiday
season.
The Fresha Festival
is directed by Emma Durden and Roel Twijnstra and is presented by Twist Theatre
Development Projects. Twist is funded by The National Lotteries Commission.
Additional funding for Fresha has also been provided by the Department of Arts
and Culture KZN and the KZN Performing Arts Trust.
For more
information visit www.freshafestival.co.za or
email info@freshafestival.co.za