THEATRE: NonhlanzekoReview by MZWANDILE MAMAILA African tales are slowly fading away as the current generation is not engaging with them. Technology and social media have replaced significant family time. It is rare to find families sitting around a fireplace with elders, sharing myths and fables without a cellphone screen outshining the sparks and flames of the fire. Children today would rather spend hours gaming or watching YouTube videos than engaging with this heritage. Stemming from the township of Umlazi in Durban, Enthrone Productions has brought life to one of these myths through their production, “Nonhlanzeko”. It follows the story of a…
Author: Rod Amner
THEATRE: Conversation With GodReview by CASEY LUDICK Six women in white humming. Deep sombre notes create a sense of anticipation and sadness. They start to sing and rage and despair as they express their disappointment at where they’ve ended up. Conversation with God tells the story of three black women in purgatory demanding the ear of the Lord God Almighty himself. A prostitute, a prophetess and a feminist freedom fighter find themselves dissatisfied with their lives and form a movement speaking on behalf of black women. But as their endless day progresses, they question everything they thought they knew about…
By MZWANDILE MAMAILA To experience a different side of the fest far from the busy, upmarket activities in town, we decided to try something new: to bring exposure to the lost voice of the fest, the township. Rushing taxi drivers, kids playing soccer on the streets, and dogs roaming about; welcome to ‘ekasi’. With the mission of exposing Makhanda’s illegal dumping sites and bringing art into the township, the visual artist Nyaniso Lindi has welcomed festival-goers into his home in Joza Extension 3. We relied on the voice of our GPS to guide us there, but without any signs on…
THEATRE: Spaces Between Us: ColourblindReview by ARNO CORNELISSEN PJ Olivier’s hill-top setting provides a brilliant view of Makhanda and the Settlers Monument, a fitting historical and racial reflection of Spaces Between Us: Colourblind, an all-female cast directed and written by Sandy Vlandir. To be honest, an unpleasant sensation flowed into me from being back on the premises of a primary school, with portraits of stern white men, the previous principles of the school, hung by the entrance of the Neels Heunis-Saal. Those unwelcome flashbacks and stern faces dissipated when I took my seat on the signature metal school pavilion inside the…
By KEREN BANZA If you think you can snail-crawl your way to performances during NAF, think again. Late-comers are not allowed in, and while most shows are close to the CBD, down your drinks quickly slow-pokes because some venues are a bit of a trek. For those challenged in the administrative department, here are some tips to ensure you make it to your show on time: Know where the venue is. Things can get pretty distracting in these streets, and it’s best to check locations at least a day or a few hours before the show starts so you can…
THEATRE: I am sorryReview by JENNA KRETZMANN After creeping down into the depths of the Monument and finding the Rehearsal Room, I was not too sure what the empty stands suggested. An empty show often means one of two things: the production is terrible or severely underestimated. I am sorry, written and directed by veteran theatre practitioner Brian Nhlanhla Phakathi, definitely falls into the latter. Set in the Vimba Squatter Camp in the hustle-and-bustle of Johannesburg, the play explores themes of unemployment, corruption, crime, violence, substance abuse, and gender-based violence. Phakathi draws inspiration from the experiences of his cast, as…
A photo essay by ELEJHA-ZE GENGAN & JOSHUA ETSIMAJE Long ago, humans from all over the country started a tradition. One in which they came together in a village and shared music, laughter, food, crafts and each other’s company. Over the past few decades, this tradition continued between generations across South Africa. People travelled miles to feel the magic the village had to offer. Until one year, a deadly pandemic dulled the spell, and no one was allowed to return to the village for their annual festivities. After a long, hard fight, the village was finally able to return, and…
THEATRE: Johnnie MotsamaiReview by NONJABULO NTULI A celebrity called Johnnie Motsamai resides in a glamorous mansion filled with Johnnie Walker bottles in Joburg. Motsamai meets with a wannabe artist, Maria, and they quickly develop a romantic relationship. He unapologetically divulges that South African artists don’t know their rights and takes advantage of this, making it clear that his success has resulted from other artists’ work. Johnnie Motsamai brings us into the world of a struggling artist, Soul, who becomes a victim of Maria’s theft. Anger is inevitable as one witnesses Soul’s work being stolen and the lack of support for…
The organisers had to get inventive to hold the festival in Makhanda again this year but are passionate about ensuring that it thrives for artists and audiences, writes New Frame’s ATIYYAH KHAN. In a time of crisis, what do you do? This was the question facing the organisers of the National Arts Festival. “You go back to your mission,” says chief executive Monica Newton. “And your mission is to host the annual festival.” Despite many challenges, the biggest gathering for arts in South Africa, which has been running since 1974, is back in Makhanda for the first time in two…
By NONJABULO NTULI It’s been a relatively quiet Pride Month for Makhanda, but it is about to get better. Queer artists and performances featuring queer characters are prominent in the NAF programme during a month in which LGBTQI representation and activism are also centre stage. Hullo, Bu-Bye, Koko, Come in is a multimedia adaptation of a collection of poems by award-winning queer poet, author, and theatre practitioner, Koleka Putuma. The title is taken from a Brenda Fassie lyric and explores the in/visibility of black, queer women in performance. The production has been performed in Cape Town and will be…