There are just a few more days to jam in all the theatre, dance, visual art, music, jazz, public art, magic, comedy and more. The Festival ends on Sunday 30 June but not before you’ve topped up your culture quota. Music is the Fuel The 50th celebrations are in full swing so get the party groove on with the soulful sounds of Jazz with Asanda Mqiki (The Gold Experience) or make a date with the legendary Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse (who earned his name by playing non-stop for 20 minutes in the dark) – still hot at 72. The 2023 Standard Bank…
Author: Sibabalwe Tame
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By: Nothando Yolanda Tshuma The Eastern Cape Development Corporation is positioned to drive a burgeoning, diversified, comprehensive and robust Eastern Cape economy by developing initiatives aimed at fostering creativity in disadvantaged communities within the province. As part of this initiative the ECDC will be hosting their third annual Eastern Cape Film Expo during the National Arts Festival, hosted in Makhanda. The primary focus of the three-day summit, which kicked off on Wednesday, is to motivate, educate, and transform impoverished communities of the Eastern Cape. On June 27 and 28, the expo will continue at Olive Schreiner at the 1820’s Settlers…
By Ovayo Novukela To create life-changing opportunities for former and current inmates, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has brought various products and crafts made by inmates to the National Arts Festival (NAF) as part of the Eastern Cape Showcase. As part of the initiative, inmates and former convicts are given a platform to sell their handmade crafts, which they create using materials sponsored by the department as part of the Self-Sufficiency and Sustenance Framework Project, which intends to enrich the lives of offenders during and after prison. Hosted at the Village Green during the NAF, a number of inmates…
Butlers and Bellboys, Comedy, Glennie Hall, June 27-29, Fringe Andile Mfundisi This murder-mystery comedy will have you belly laughing on the edge of your seat. Butlers and Bellboys is an interactive murder-mystery show where the audience decides the fate of the characters and the progression of the show. The employees at Butlers Hotel find themselves in a dire situation when a wealthy guest is found dead in his hotel room. They must figure out who of the guests or employees are possible suspects in this crime. The audience is invited to participate in the sequence of events by casting votes…
By Tanya Maswaure Theatre and the arts can seem like a competitive space where individuals and companies are constantly fighting to be in the lead. This kind of competition does more harm than good, and ASSITEJ SA is pioneering in teaching the idea of collaboration in the arts. After engaging with the executive director of ASSITEJ SA, Yvette Hardie, we were left feeling optimistic about the future of the arts and all festivals to come. ASSITEJ, which loosely translates to ‘International Association of Theater and Performing Arts for Children and Young People’, was established on 10 May 1965 by a…
Nothando Yolanda Tshuma Vox Pops Village Green 25 June 2024 Person 1 Sidney-Faye Wiggett Newton, Female, 21 (Grahamstown) “My favourite part of this festival has been the show Silhouette, it was fantastic to watch, and I have enjoyed the Stalls here as well at Village Green.” Person 2 Nosibabalo Tetani, Female (Grahamstown) “With the National festival at the moment is the Village Green that is at Victoria Girls’ High School and my favourite part is the food stalls and I love the smell around me when I am here, and I have been enjoying the food” Person 3 Siweze Ncgwayi…
By Devon Koen In an unexpected yet welcomed announcement, the National Arts Festival (NAF) confirmed a long-awaited and much-needed cash injection totaling R10m. Confirming the news, NAF CEO Monica Newton said the organisation, currently celebrating its 50th year, had entered into a contract with the National Lottery Commission (NLC) which would see much needed funds being made available for social empowerment initiatives, among others. According to Newton, part of the R10m had already been made available and was being used during the staging of the NAF’s half-century celebrations, currently underway in Makhanda, while the remainder would be used for the…
The Standard Bank Ovation Awards are designed to reward creative excellence and innovation on the Fringe and are decided by a team of adjudicators made up of art critics, directors and others who, between them, see all the productions premiering on the Fringe. Keep your eye on Cue’s social media updates and daily publications for the announcements of newly appointed Standard Bank Ovation Awards winners – those stellar performances you cannot miss. Previous years’ award-winning productions can also be identified by the Standard Bank Ovation Award logo on posters and flyers. Here are the first batch of announced award-winners this…
Adventure of Who, Family theatre, Victoria Theatre, June 22- 30, Fringe By Khanyisa Khenese An award-winning production, Adventure of Who, directed by Aaron Mcilroy and written and performed by Kaylee Mcilroy is a thought provoking and engaging show that navigates the journey of life. It also explores fantasy, childhood intrigue and mythical landscapes. In the show, a child, played by Kaylee, goes to a forest to discover her name. In the forest the child meets an intruder that tells her that she needs to find a friend that is going to help her along her way. The child soon finds…
By: Migcobo Majali Having opened for the long-awaited National Jazz Festival, Dalisu Ndlazi exceeded expectations with his Inevitable Calling show. With a mixture of vibrant and mellow sounds, his band took Makhanda by storm. The performers brought an impressive blend of skills and a deep passion for jazz. The group began with lively melodies that immediately transported the audience to the streets of New Orleans, the Mecca of jazz music. During the show, the audience was immersed in the sounds of music that felt like the auditory embodiment of love. Each note being played emulated the sounds of conversation between…