(“Us against Them”:Top: Snenhlanhla Majola; Thandeka
Luthuli; Tankiso Mthembu & Bongeka Goba. Bottom: Nondu Mbanjwa; Sbusiso
Ngcobo & Mbali Mpungose. Pic Jon Ivins Photography)
Arts and
Living Cultures, eThekwini Municipality is supporting 12
Durban theatre groups enabling them to attend and perform at this year’s
National Arts Festival taking place in Grahamstown from June 29 until July 9.
The National Arts Festival (NAF) is widely considered
to be the premier national arts festival in South Africa boasting a strong and
varied programme of the best of performing and visual arts across all genres. This
year the over-all focus of the festival is “Creative Disruption”: For the first
time in its 43 year history, the festival put out a call for proposals with a
theme.
eThekwini’s support is enabling 120 theatre makers
from 12 different productions across various genres to have a presence on the
Fringe of this year’s NAF. The productions which the city are supporting are: Trafficked
(Trulife Productions) combining physical theatre, poetry and media projections
to tell the story of a girl tricked into a human trafficking syndicate; Game
Over (Umvini Performing Art Project) looking at love!; Us
against Them (Aphiwe Namba) a politically driven protest piece; The
Chameleon (Magenta Pro) which looks at the quest for peace; Phumlani
Mtiti Trio (Eco-Art) a contemporary
instrumental trio fusing indigenous, western classical and SA jazz cultures; Daffi Falls (Umsindo
Theatre Projects) about the life and times of Muammar Gaddafi as told by a
journalist obsessed; Refugees (Wushwini Arts and
Heritage) about displaced people in a refugee camp; Kubili (Musa
Hlatshwayo / Mhayise Productions) a double bill of dance; Ants Job (Dikianga
Arts) looking at the dishonourable state of living for Somali women; Inyathuko
(Mnqobi LM Arts Co) a complicated love story; Women in Tears (Edgy
Drama Mix Productions) which reflects on the killing of mine workers by police
inspired by the Marikana Massacre, and Nomalizo, The Brave (Madanisa
Creative Productions) a love story written and directed by Bonginkosi Shangase.
“We are always delighted in being able to help
facilitate taking productions to the National Arts Festival. It is important
for the city to have a presence at one of the country’s foremost arts festivals
and to allow our theatre makers to experience a national platform – especially
emerging theatre voices to be able to add their story to the national
dialogue,” said Themba
Mchunu: Manager – Arts and Living Cultures, eThekwini Municipality.
Earlier
in the year, the city put out a public call to groups and individuals who had
already registered and been approved to perform on the fringe at Grahamstown.
There were no criteria restricting the genre of productions to be supported: be
it dance, musical theatre, drama, comedy, physical theatre, etc. Selected
productions received city support towards their transport, accommodation and
marketing costs.
Carrying Durban’s flag at the NAF will also be Neil
Coppen whose new piece, Newfoundland (Buiteland)
is on the main programme. The latest offering by Durban’s multiple award-winning
theatre maker, Newfoundland looks at the relationship between an Afrikaans
anaesthetist based in Pietermaritzburg, and an isiZulu speaking choreographer
with a calling to become a Sangoma.
Durban music guru and practicing labour lawyer Richard
Haslop has four interesting music themed talks which looks at music through his
immense knowledge and quirky eyes.
Also on the programme are Durban’s own Guy Buttery,
and singer Noma Khumalo from Pietermaritzburg. Making people laugh will be Lisa
Bobbert and Aaron McIlroy with their Comedy Masterclass and Marriage
for Dummies and Ben Voss and John van de Ruit with their Mamba
Republic. Rajesh Gopie’s classic Out of Bounds has been re-imagined
as a two hander.
The National Arts Festival 2017 runs from June 29 to
July 9.
NB: To
link direct to the NAF site click on the large banner that runs across the top
of this blog
Posts
