THAT festival again!
PULLING out all the stops, Durban production houses have a strong presence at this year’s National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, which began on Thursday.
The festival is widely considered to be the premier festival of its kind in South Africa, boasting a strong and intelligent programme of the best of performing and visual arts across all genres.
Acclaimed Durban contemporary dance company Flatfoot features on the main programme with a production titled Days Like These.
It is choreographed by Lliane Loots in collaboration with the resident Flatfoot dancers – unpacking everyday memories and what it means to be human.
Animal Farm, Neil Coppen’s triumphant adaptation of the neverto-be-forgotten George Orwell novel, reaches Grahamstown after playing at various centres to sold-out houses, rave reviews and standing ovations.
Emma Durden and Roel Twijnstra are going to have a busy festival with their annual novel-toscript programme, which they are presenting at ThinkFest, as well as launching a new “how to” book titled Theatre Directing in South Africa.
It is great to see that both theeThekwini Municipality and The Playhouse Company are supporting a wide selection of shows, enabling independent production houses to have a presence at the festival.
Clinton Marius, the director and writer of B!*ch Stole my Doek!, Sweetie Darling and Fantastical Flea Circus, all under the banner of Copy Dog Productions, says: “Durban artists are relieved that the city has come to the table, and by backing them they are helping to grow and secure the future of live theatre in KZN.”
Other shows from Durban to look out for include:
Flying Fish (Cherry’s Magic Fun Show), billed as an interactive seaside adventure dotty with ecothemes which are explored through puppetry and magic.
10 Days in a Shebeen – the moving story of a shebeen queen who encounters a young boy who plans to rob his rich father and friends.
Race Trouble pairs Divya, a victim of a violent crime, and Menzi, a trauma counsellor, who must confront their own prejudices.
Asazi, in which we follow the poignant story of an old man and his grandchild taking a journey to nowhere.
The Last Drop is a parable about climate change and global warming and its negative impact on society among plants and animals.
Boy Ntulikazi argues the