Feast of great entertainment at Steve Biko arts centre
THE story of Xhosa prophetess Nongqawuse is a highlight at the Steve Biko Centre’s inaugural Winter Festival.
Nongqawuse’s prophecies led to a movement that culminated in the Xhosa cattlekilling crisis of 1856 to 1857 in what is now the Eastern Cape. But the stage production and comic book exhibition are just some of the activities on offer.
The centre’s artistic director, Lulama Masimini, said the festival started off as an attempt to provide entertainment for school pupils during the holidays.
“There’s usually so much happening in our province during this period, so as a cradle of the arts in our region, we decided to host an event that would encompass all art forms and most of the performances that we have lined up will be showing at the National Arts Festival as well. This not only gives those who cannot get to Grahamstown a taste of the festival, it also provides entertainment for those attending the arts festival a chance to see the rest of the province,” said Masimini. The festival runs until August 9. The Nongqawuse comic exhibition, compiled by South African illustrator Nick Buchanan, is free and runs until July 12.
“Still on the children, we have free library programmes until July 31 that include storytelling, reading, watching movies, educational games, painting and physical exercises,” said Masimini.
Old South African movies such as Mapantsula, Steve Bantu Biko: Beacon of Hope and The Guardian will be on show.
This weekend’s events include a performance by the Bokani Dyer Swiss Quintet jazz band on Sunday at 1pm. Admission is R50. The Ndebele Funeral, a stage play by New York-based theatre Smoke and Mirrors, is on show. The play examines the world of modern South Africa through the aspirations and losses of three characters whose lives intersect in a Soweto shantytown. Daweti, a college graduate living with HIV, has exiled herself to a shack, where she is building her own coffin using supplies provided by the government.
She has a visit from her best friend Thabo and Jan, an Afrikaner with the impossible job of checking on the use of government supplies. The play features original music from Spirits Indigenous and gumboot dancing. Tickets are R30 for adults, R15 for children and pensioners.
Another play set for July 7 at 6.30pm and July 8 at 2.30pm, Red Earth Revisited, also revisits the life of Nongqawuse.
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