There are many free family-friendly performances at the Village Green. Photo: Supplied
It’s day 2 of National Arts Festival 2019 and with the kids still out of school, there’s lots to do for the whole family! From exclusive shows to free art exhibitions and the unforgettable entertainment of the Village Green, Grocott’s Mail has brought you your 28 June itinerary for a day well-spent.
Buskers at the Village Green are one of the many free family activities during National Arts Festival. Photo by Jan Potgieter
The weather is shaping up to be a beautiful day in Makhanda (Grahamstown), with sunny conditions and a high of 22 and a low of 4. If you aren’t from Makhanda, be sure to pack a light sweater for the mornings and late afternoons, and a heavy coat and scarf for the evenings. But don’t skimp on the sunglasses and sunscreen for the kids! Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean the sun can’t take it’s toll, especially on the kids!
To start your day, take a stroll through The Standard Bank Village Green; the Village Green is filled with food, arts and crafts stalls as well as a plethora of free performances fit for the whole family. All the performances are free (but please do tip the performers as generously as you’re able), and leaves plenty of opportunity to grab a coffee (for the adults) and a cold drink for the kids. The Village Green opens at 9am daily and performances finish by 6pm.
KIDS’ RECOMMENDED SHOWS!
Rat Race
10h00 @16 MEMORY HALL | 35m | English | R40 (FULL) R35 (CONCESSION) R33 (GROUP) | ALL AGES
“A pop-up storybook play for the very young about an unlikely friendship between stressed-out city rat Miles and kind, easygoing farm mouse Melissa. It’s a comic play with a gentle eco-theme that includes clowning, puppetry, illustrations, live music and physical theatre.”
Florence and Watson present: The Great Pangolin Mystery
Photo by Jan Potgieter
10h00 @ Drill Hall | R80 (FULL) | R75 (Concession)
“Florence and Watson return with their brand new hit kids’ show! Join the fabulous animals from Sugarbush Mountain who set out on a thrilling adventure to find their friend Pangolin. A funny, touching and exciting tale about friendship, teamwork and so much more. Perfect for the whole family.”
Looking for a something just before lunch? A few shows start at 12h00, but you do need prior booking to ensure tickets.
Step into Africa
11h00 @15 CENTENARY HALL | 1hr | NON-VERBAL |R70 (FULL) R65 (CONCESSION) R63 (GROUP) | ALL AGES
“A wonderful demonstration of the wealth of talent there is in South Africa – David Mead, Seeing Dance UK”
Frogman
12h00 @11 SCOUT HALL | 1hr 5min | ENGLISH | R80 (Full) R75 (Concession) R73 (Group) | 12+
“At once a coming-of-age drama, supernatural thriller and pioneering integration of live performance and virtual reality, Frogman will sweep you up in its wake.”
Duo KP: Music from Russia, Georgia and South Africa
12h00 @52 BEETHOVEN ROOM | 1hr 10m | ENGLISH R70 (FULL) R65 (CONC) R63 (GROUP) | 10+ (Not for very young)
“A beautiful piano and flute duet that takes us through a journey of different sounds, songs and ages. – Spotlight”
Craving a bit of entertainment after lunch?
Metamorphosis
14h00 and 21h00 @34 GYMNASIUM | 1hr 30m | ENGLISH R70 (FULL) R65 (CONCESSION) R63 (GROUP) | ALL AGES
“A harrowing – though absurdly comic – meditation on human feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and isolation, Metamorphosis is one of the most widely read and influential works of 20th-century fiction.”
Don’t feel like paying for a ticket? No worries! There’s several visual art exhibitions free for the whole family, open daily from 9am to 5pm.
A Place in the Sun @52 GALLERY IN THE ROUND, MONUMENT FREE ADMISSION
“The new work represents an engagement with place, memory and time in which lived realities within particular urban landscapes are explored and various futures imagined.”
Snow White @52 RHODES SCHOOL OF FINE ART FREE ADMISSION
“The first video Berni Searle made was Snow White, commissioned for an exhibition at the Venice Biennale in 2001. Hypothetically, if the video was a person, she would turn 18 this year, and would be able to vote in this year’s elections, 25 years into democracy. For this exhibition, Searle invites students from the Rhodes University School of Fine Art to make work, curate a show, and write texts in dialogue with Snow White.”
Spirt of ’76
18h00 to 20h00 daily @52 MONUMENT FACADE FREE ADMISSION
“Searle has used her signature technique of submerging crêpe paper in liquid to create imagery for four new flags, presented on the flag poles opposite the entrance to the Monument building.”
Gabrielle Goliath 2019 Standard Bank Young Artist for Visual Art This song is for…
“In This song Is for… Gabrielle Goliath returns to and re-performs the popular convention of the dedication song, in collaboration with women-led musical ensembles. Entering an immersive filmic and auditory environment, audiences are confronted with a unique collection of songs, each chosen by a survivor of rape and performed as a newly produced cover-version”
Luke Kaplan’s Hinterland
9h00-17h00 daily @1 STUDIO 1 GALLERY, RHODES FINE ART | ENGLISH | FREE ADMISSION | ALL AGES
“The sense of being in place – the landscape, feelings, and textures of the Eastern Cape Karoo landscape – are strongly evoked.”
Sikhumbuzo Makandula & Mthwakazi Ingoma ka Tiyo Soga
9h00-17h00 daily @1 NEW GALLERY, MONUMENT | FREE ADMISSION | ALL AGES
“Composed 160 years ago, Tiyo Soga’s music continues to form part of our everyday as an oral repertoire that thrives in many South African churches and schools.”
Five Photographers: A Tribute to David Goldblatt
9h00-17h00 @1 ATHERSTONE ROOM, MONUMENT | FREE ADMISSION | ENGLISH TEXT WITH VISUALS | ALL AGES
“‘Every now and then I see photographs that fill me with admiration and a sense of gladness for the strength and insight of the photographers working here.’”
Eastern Cape Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts & Culture Social Reflections (Art walkabout)
9h00-17h00 daily @4 FOYER, ALBANY HISTORY MUSEUM | FREE ADMISSION | ALL AGES
Eastern Cape Department Of Sport, Recreation Arts & Culture Eastern Cape Craft Collection
9h00-17h00 daily @1 VILLAGE GREEN PROVINCIAL CRAFT STALL | FREE ADMISSION | ALL AGES
Heading into the evening and the kids still not tired? Catch an exclusive showing of Khumba at the Noluthando Bioscope! Tickets are a steal at just R5 each, making movie night R20 for a family of four! (That’s cheaper than the toasted sarmies the kids had earlier!). The movie starts at 5pm.
Reddits Poetry Festival Special
18h00 @Café D’Vine, 31 New Street | FREE
“Now in its eleventh successful year, Reddits Poetry is a monthly open-floor poetry/spoken word/occasional music event hosted by Harry Owen. All styles, voices and languages are welcome.”
Makhanda poet harry Owen at the Amazwi/ Grocott’s Mail ‘Scots meets isiXhosa’ pop-up poetry cafe at Amazwi on 7 June. Photo: Tom Jeffery
Not quite ready to head home? It’s Friday night, and there are still some great shows lined up for the evening, prior booking is needed.
Burning Rebellion
19h00 @33 NELM AMPHITHEATRE | 30m | ENGLISH (+SA LANGS) ADMISSION FREE | 10+ (Not for the very young)
“With elements of hip hop, spoken word, movement and song, Burning Rebellion is an ecological protest poem that gives voice to a profound sense of injustice, a rightful rage, and a fear of what is to come.”
Megan-Geoffrey Prins 2019 Standard Bank Young Artist for Music Metamorphosis: Reflections at the Piano
19h00 @52 BEETHOVEN ROOM | 1hr 30m (including interval) | R80 (FULL) R75 (CONCESSION) R73 (GROUP) | 10+ (Not for young children)
“Prins’s recent performances have been praised by German and South African critics for their ‘technical precision’, ‘artistic expressivity’ and ‘transcendent interpretations.”
Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Art and Culture Indigenous Music and Dance Ensemble
20h00 @38 VICTORIA THEATRE | 1hr | ISIXHOSA | R80 (FULL) R75 (CONCESSION) R73 (Group) | ALL AGES
“Each group, with its distinct style, contributes to the storyline that shows the importance of united action’”
Rustie Choir
20h00@38 VICTORIA THEATRE | 45m | ENGLISH | R80 (FULL) R75 (CONCESSION) R73 (GROUP) | ALL AGES
“We believe choral music provides an invaluable opportunity to nurture a love for the beautiful tapestry of our diverse South African culture.”
GROCOTT’S MAIL FAMILY FUN RECOMMENDATION (Mind the time, however)
TOO MANY ZOOZ
23h00 DSG HALL |R100 / R95
“A musical rocket that combines EDM, house and techno, paired with the indigenous punch of Cuban, Afro-Cuban, Caribbean, and Brazilian Carnival rhythms, their style is a booming collection of musical energy. The trio first shot to fame after videos of their playing in New York subways went viral and Makhanda is the first stop on their triumphant world tour.”
*Grocott’s journalist Kathryn Cleary personally recommends this music act!
Grocott’s Mail wishes everyone an exciting and fun Festival, and encourages and reminds residents and visitors to save water, keep rubbish in designated bins, and most importantly, smile!
