By Jenna Kretzmann and Fahdia Msaka
The sun sets over Makhanda’s (small) skyline. Festival-goers prepare for a night of live theatre, jazz, dance, art, and a final stop at The Long Table for a nightcap. But, before the town’s (few) shining lights turn on, the Monument welcomes the close of the day with a rise of voices.
Over the past 11 days of Festival magic, the Fountain Foyer of the Monument plays host to the SAFM Sundowner Concert between 17:00 and 18:00. Here, Festinos catch the best of the Festival Fringe, free-of-charge. Artists perform short excerpts from their performances, ranging from comedy and illusion to dance and music, with many of the audience taking to the stage to showcase their hidden talents, too. The evening supports local artists and contributes to the rich cultural vibrancy of Makhanda, and its Festival.
The iconic ‘theatre in the round’ overflows with an eager audience, waiting to see their festival favourites up-close. Latecomers hang over the stairwells just as eager as those below. A charismatic MC leads the event while queues scatter around the venue, waiting for coffee, snacks, and boozy beverages. The crowd is diverse. Students, families, pensioners, locals, and visitors simply gather to enjoy the essence of what makes us human – art.
On one specific night, a girl no older than seven, stands behind the Monument’s restaurant filming one of her many TikTok videos of the evening – using the music of the performances as her backing track. Another star-in-the-making is a restaurant cook who rushes on to stage to compete in a dance battle. Here, six women from the audience (and kitchen) dance to the beats of Gqom and Amapiano – all hoping to win the Standard Bank goodie bags.
Prior to this impromptu performance is the tenderly shy singing of three children – like deer in headlights they attempt to voice the famous words of Adele. The nerves take over, but soon they are accompanied by the audience who sing along. The girls smile, a giggle or two hops through the mics. The beauty is not only in the comradery but in the potential. Who knows, maybe one or all three of these budding singers will perform on the same stage one day as a professional artist.
The sun fades over the boundless hills of the little town that has so much art to give. The crowds trickle out the building; all revived for the final night of Fest ahead. What awaits the next Festival is uncertain; who will return, who will not? Who will premiere their career on the Guy Butler, Victoria or Rhodes stage? Will the legendary Msaki ever grace the Festival? These questions are all rhetorical, of course. However, one thing remains. The Festival and its magic, will not go down with the sun.
