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Saturday, July 8, 2017

NAF: SPACE ROCKS



A fascinating and amusing look at the universe for young people. (Review by Caroline Smart)

Space Rocks is one of four new South African works presented by the National Arts Festival and Drama for Life which appeared on this year’s Main programme in Grahamstown.

Brother and sister JoJo and Jinks are about to head into space. As the show opens, we see them putting together their home-made spaceship created from a variety of props. They are out to collect magical space rock which JoJo, who is a space fundi, hopes will make his robot BingBing live. BingBing is a delightful structure with forks as arms and tea strainers as eyes

However, JoJo is beginning to get cold feet but Jinks, who has had an argument with their mum, is determined to go ahead.

Thus begins a fun journey which sees them being chased through the solar system by Vortex and Void, and coming into contact with the Moon, Saturn, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter.

Alongside Stella Dlangalala and Hamish Neil who play Jinks and JoJo, Diana Penman, Sthe Khali, Lehlohonolo Dube and Thapelo Mohapi Oora Motsikoe take on the roles of the various planets. Much fun was had with the explosive Jupiter which has been labelled The Gas Giant!

Written by Tamara Schul6z and directed by Craig Morris, the production is aimed at audiences between the ages of four to eight and explores how children become independent through play. It certainly provides a fascinating and amusing look at the universe for young people. I wasn’t able to stay for the Q & A afterwards but there were many eager faces waiting in the amphitheatre outside as I left. – Caroline Smart

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