The annual US Woordfees showcase is being staged in Stellenbosch until March 13, promising another series of celebrations and discussions around the arts over the course of 10 days. STEYN DU TOIT takes a peek
NOW in its 17th year, and with the country having seen a range of social and political issues flare up over the past few months, festival director Saartjie Botha has made sure that this year’s festival aims to directly engage with its place within a modern South Africa. Boasting one of its strongest programmes to date, visitors can sample from various offerings across the spheres of literature, public discourse, live performance, fine art, music, community outreach and cinema.
Bookworms can look forward to several Q&A sessions with some of the industry's most celebrated authors. Among the big hitters that will be stopping by to share their thoughts include Leon van Nierop ( Daar Doer in die Fliek), Tom Lanoye ( Gelukkige Slawe), Dana Snyman ( In die Blou Kamp) and Johan Bakkes ( Openbaring).
Poetry will again enjoy a special spotlight thanks to the always popular Digtersparadys. Among the wordsmiths slated to make an appearance are Ronelda Kamfer, Petra Müller, Lina Spies as well as Belgian poet Maud Vanhauwaert.
Foodies are in for a treat too. Aandpraatjies en Askoek combines a special meal with live music by Valiant Swart and ‘lekker’ banter by Johan Bakkes, Louis Janse van Vuuren, Marietta Kruger and Hanlie Retief.
In celebration of the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards’ 50th birthday, Bravo! is a cookbook featuring recipes by familiar names from the stage. Following a lifetime of cooking up a storm, also expect tickets to culinary great Cass Abrahams’ chat with Marike Bekker to sell out fast.
From politics to farming to philosophy, any topic is fair game when it comes to one of the festival's most underrated components. Can a developing country such as South Africa able to afford multilinguality? That will be the question posed in a discussion featuring panelists from Stellenbosch University, the ATKV, UNISA and the Department of Education.
Science Cafe Stellenbosch makes a welcome return. Hosted by renowned personality Dave Pepler ( Groen), among the topics tackled this year include microbes, the evolution of the colour of human skin and what it is that makes us “alive”.
What makes Stellenbosch unique? Several prominent locals, including the rector of Stellenbosch University, will get to have their say about this green town as well.
Among the major productions that have already proven themselves elsewhere are Mike van Graan’s Rainbow Scars; Christiaan Olwagen's staging A Doll's House; Marlo Minnaar’s adaption of Eben Venter’s Santa Gamka; Jaco Bouwer's tackling of Bernard-Marie Loltès' Buite Blaf Die Honde Swart; Saartjie Botha’s potent translation of Brecht’s Moeder Moed en Haar Kinders(performed at Woordfees on the ruins of where Klein Libertas Theatre burned down); and Liezl de Kock’s deliciously macabre Piet se Optelgoed. And, without question, Andrew Buckland in Tobacco, and the Harmful Effects Thereof.
Several debut pieces are well worth taking a chance on. Adapted by Saartjie Botha from JM Coetzee's Booker-winning Disgrace, In Ongenade further seals the deal by roping in Jaco Bouwer as director along with a cast that includes Gerben Kamper, Jerry Mofokeng, Nicole Holm and Tinarie van Wyk-Loots.
Another classic left in more than capable hands is French playwright Georges Feydeau’s Hond se Gedagte, helmed here by Christiaan Olwagen and featuring a soundtrack by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder ( Cabaret).
Closer to home, Dalene Matthee’s beloved novel Fiela se Kind comes alive through an exciting cast made up of Lee-Ann van Rooi, Charlton George, Waldemar Schultz and Nicole Holm.
Showcasing various heroes of the local theatre industry – whether they be scriptwriters, performers or directors – other productions worth seeking out include Nico Scheepers’ Free State Arts Festival winner Amper, Vrystaat!; Philip Rademeyer's devastatingly beautiful Ashes(here making its Afrikaans debut as As); as well as the formidable Hennie van Greunen’s translation and adaptation of Geraldine Aron’s My Briljante Egskeiding.
Throw in Stian Bam and Tinarie van Wyk-Loots bringing to life André P. Brink’s Orgie, Franci Swanepoel and Neels van Jaarsveld teaming up for N.P. van Wyk Louw’s Raka, and Marcel van Heerden and Nicola Hanekom joining forces for Harry Kalmer’s Weg, and I’d say you’re in for a pretty profound overall theatre festival experience.
Supported by the Distell Foundation, Deurbraak is a special section at the Oude Libertas Auditorium that aims to give voice to new work. Whether through prose, music or even a “space drama” in the form of Louis Roux’s Auto: ’n Reeks Fragmente, this is the place to go put your ear to the ground of what’s bubbling under the current creative surface.
Several musical heavyweights will be gracing the stages of Stellenbosch over the course of the festival. Under the musical direction of Janine Neethling, Amanda Loop Die Pad Nou 60 Jaar features famed singer Amanda Strydom with a live band and a whole host of guests such as Anna Davel, Brandon October, Coenie de Villiers and Gloria Bosman.
Elsewhere, “liedjieboer” Anton Goosen will debut a new production alongside a few familiar peers – among them Anton Goosen, David Kramer, Sonja Heroldt and Gert Vlok Nel – as will Luna Paige in Korreltjie Kantel, consisting of musical arrangements of the poems and letters by Ingrid Jonker.
Directed by Adriaan Brand, Kô, Lat Ons Sing! celebrates iconic author Adam Small’s 80th birthday by having music and stage figures - Koos Kombuis, Natalia da Rocha and Wessel Pretorius to name a few – come together in celebration of his career.
Classical aficionados need not feel left out either. In short, put the Jaco Bouwer-directed Waansin at the top of your list. It was by far one of the best productions I saw during NAF last year, and also one of the most unique. Combining choreography by Ina Wichterich and live music performed by Louisa Theart (flute), Ariella Caira (cello) en José Dias (piano), seeing opera singer Magdalene Minnaar belt her way through a series of Bel canto “mad scenes” (in which the operatic heroine finally loses her sanity) is something you won’t easily forget.
Two of South Africa’s most preeminent exports, Nina Schumann and Luis Magalhães, also appear together in another production not to miss.
Nina avec Luis! features a selection of French works, including compositions by César Franck, Camille Saint-Saëns and Francis Poulenc.
l www.woordfees.co.za. Book: Computicket 0861 915 8000.