Arts Writer
ON FEBRUARY 11, 1966 District Six was declared a white group area. Over 60 000 people were relocated. A way of life was destroyed.
Fifty years have passed and today hardly anything remains of what was once a thriving, densely populated, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural community.
The Fugard Theatre, located in District Six, will pay homage to what was once District Six – the place and its people.
Presented by Eric Abraham and the Fugard Theatre, David Kramer’s District Six – Kanala will premier on February 11, exactly 50 years after that 1966 declaration.
Kramer, who together with his partner the late Taliep Petersen created the hugely successful musicals – District Six, Fairyland and Kat and the Kings, will celebrate the vibrant musical culture that was to be found in the streets, halls, hotels, clubs and bioscopes of 1960s District Six.
“ Kanala will be my way of celebrating the memory of some of the amazing talents from District Six that I met and worked with over the past three decades.
“People like Taliep Petersen, Salie Daniels, Cyril Valentine, Billy Jaftha, Dougie Schrikker, Al Hendricks, Zayn Adam as well as Richard Rive and Vincent Kolbe. These were all friends who shared their vivid recollections of place and people with me,” says Kramer.
The musical will feature Loukmaan Adams ( District Six the Musical, Kat and the Kings), Bianca le Grange ( West Side Story, Blood Brothers), Carlo Daniels ( Orpheus in Africa, Blood Brothers), Edith Plaatjies ( Orpheus in Africa), Sne Dladla ( Orpheus in Africa), Andrea Frankson ( Blood Brothers), Natasha Hess ( Orpheus in Africa, West Side Story), and Cleo Raatus ( What We Wish For).
“I am really thrilled to be directing these dynamic, young performers, most of whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with in previous Fugard Theatre productions of Kat and the Kings, Blood Brothers and Orpheus in Africa.
“They are all exceptionally versatile and capable of delivering the heartfelt and high-energy performances that I have in mind for Kanala.”
The performers will be accompanied by a six-piece live band under the leadership of saxophonist Donveno Prins and guidance of musical director Alistair Izobell.
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