Surround yourself with buskers

VISITORS to the V&A Waterfront are already familiar with the buskers who entertain them with lively music and live performances in the amphitheatre. This weekend it will crank up several notches with the first Buskers Festival, which is part of the Cape Town Fringe Festival.

It began on Thursday and continues all weekend with 22 international and local buskers playing throughout the day at four venues – the amphitheatre, the Pierhead, Nobel Square and the Watershed. It’s free to watch and enjoy, but the tradition of “hatting” – placing money in their hats to show your appreciation – is encouraged.

“In many respects busking is the original crowd-funding,” said Cape Town Buskers’ Festival CEO Tony Lankester. “It’s also one of the oldest forms of theatre but in South Africa it’s not always accorded the same respect as other performance arts. We have brought out some international acts to add variety to the programme but our local street performers certainly dom- inate and will hold their own with the crowds.”

From overseas comes Canada’s Dynamike, described as a loveable chap who can juggle chainsaws and children – although not at the same time. Diego, a Charlie Chap- lin impersonator, is from Argentina, while the infectious sounds of Dr Bucketman (Spain) will have audiences rethinking their Tupperware collection as he plays on paint buckets, frying pans, Tupperware and rubbish bins.

Flying the flag for South Africa are Bravo, who blends comedy, juggling and acrobatics; Anecdote, a five-part a capella group; hip hop dance group The Shifterz; and V&A Waterfront regular Ikamva Marimba. Audiences will be baffled by the talents of Levitating Man and the Soccer Freestylers will be showing off their ball skills.

Direct from the Cape Town Fringe comes rising star Nombasa and the full-on sounds of the Nomadic Orchestra.

Nylon will perform their show Public Displays of Affection, which explores our gestures and body language in public spaces.

For more information call 0860 002004, go to www.ctbuskersfestival.co.za or follow @ctbuskersfest on Twitter and Instagram and on www.facebook.com/ctbuskersfest.

Dr Bucketman (Spain) will have audiences rethinking their Tupperware collection.