Arts writer
THIS year’s National Arts Festival programme features more women in an effort to amplify female voices in the theatrical, performing and visual arts.
The fest, which runs from July 2 to 12, not only features a number of strong and visible women in most genres, but also numerous productions and exhibitions that interrogate and question fixed thinking in relation to gender more broadly.
This focus forms part of the overall thrust of this year’s festival to bring urgent social matters to light and present material that explores the limits of expressive liberty, provoking audiences and taking them beyond their comfort zones.
“The arts need to challenge and provoke,” says the festival’s artistic director, Ismail Mahomed – and that includes provocation in relation to the most intimate questions of gender identity, sexuality and power relations.
Among the many female writers, directors, performers, curators and artists appearing this year, one of the leading lights is Tara Louise Notcutt who is involved in seven productions at NAF2015, not least Three Blind Mice(Rhodes Box, July 6 – 8 at 3pm and 8pm).
Thoko Ntshinga directs the Baxter Theatre Centre’s revival of South African theatre-maker Barney Simon’s 1985 docudrama Born in the RSA(Graeme College, July 2 at 6pm, July 3 at 2pm and 6pm and July 4 at 2pm and 6pm).
Patricia Boyer presents Miss Margarida’s Way(The Hangar, July 10 at 6.30pm, July 11 at 10am and 3.30pm and July 12 at 12.30pm and 6pm), and Florence: A Script Reading(Eden Grove, Seminar Room 1 on July 7 at 4pm – as part of Think!Fest2015).
Nelisiwe Xaba and Mamela Nyamza will stage The Last Attitude(Rhodes Box Theatre, July 2 at 2pm, July 3 at 2pm and 6pm, July 4 at 2pm and 6pm).
Also on the programme is Jolynn Minaar’s Unearthed, Jodi Bieber’s Between Darkness and Light, Monique Pelser’s Conversations with My Father, singer Thandiswa Mazwai, and pianist Thandi Ntuli.
Also catch pianist Kai-ya Chang and vocalists Nomfundo Xaluva, Lindiwe Maxolo, Auriol Hays as they take centre stage at this year’s National Arts Festival as part of the the Standard Bank Jazz Festival programme.
l www.nationalartsfestival.co.za