Steyn Du Toit
WHILE Stellenbosch might currently be crawling with bug-eyed first years who should be sitting in the library instead of on Bohemia's stoep, the Cape Winelands academic town is simultaneously also readying itself for an influx of thespians and readers from March 6 and 15.
Now in its 16th year, the US Woordfees(word festival) have become an annual celebration of the spoken/written word, theatre, classical/contemporary music, intellectual discourse, visual art as well as community outreach initiatives. “Who could have predicted that a one-night event 16 years ago would turn into this wonderful 10-day event,” says Saartjie Botha, adding that their festival theme for 2015 is 16 Onse (16 ounces).
A celebrated playwright and impresario who has staged over 50 productions over her career so far, Botha took over the position of festival manager last year following the retirement of Prof. Dorothea van Zyl.
While this is a less commercially driven event than its bigger counterparts, she explains that the emphasis here is on quality and on thought provoking content.
“We have a loyal theatre audience, but for this year we are focusing on quality and not quantity. We have 30 plays and 99 performances. The biggest growth is in the writers and discourse programmes. They total 139 events.
“The festival has no flea markets or stalls. The heart of the festival is the book tent. We want to encourage critical thinking and debate, but festivalgoers must still be able to have fun. 'n Lekker party.”
As only the second person to ever hold her job title, Botha says that there are several important factors that she believes will help usher the USWoordfees into a new era.
“My vision to make it financially viable, to create a stronger presence/relevance within the larger Stellenbosch community as well as to foster better cooperation with other festivals and theatres.
“Another goal is to enhance the programme budget in order to stabilise and promote theatre. As Afrikaans is our main focus, we would like to promote and celebrate Afrikaans without alienating anybody.” Several new plays will be mounted at the festival before starting to make their way through the rest of the local festival circuit.
Directed by Ilse van Hemert and starring Anna-Mart van der Merwe and Lionel Newton, Skuldeiser is an Afrikaans adaptation of Swedish playwright August Strindberg's ( Miss Julie) tragicomedy Creditors. Set at a seaside resort, the plot revolves around an artist and his wife getting caught up in a destructive sexual triangle.
Adapted by Oscar Petersen into a Cape Flats milieu, PG du Plessis’ Herzog Prize-winner, Siener in die Suburbs, will also make its debut. Consisting of a first-rate cast that includes Shaleen Surtie-Richards, Christo Davids, Brendon Daniels and Crystal Donna Roberts, it is a tragic yet ultimately hopeful story unfolding against social decay.
Among the other first-time stagings are Adam Twee, Philip Rademeyer’s ( The View) new play starring Wessel Pretorius ( Undone); Orgie, based on André P. Brink's book by the same name, and acted by Stian Bam en Tinarie van Wyk Loots; as well as Son.Maan.Sterre, translated from Alice Birch’s Many Moons and directed by this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist for Drama, Christiaan Olwagen.
Also helmed by Olwagen and arriving fresh from a sell-out run at October's Aardklop Festival is Die Seemeeu. Boasting another impressive cast, including Sandra Prinsloo, Marius Weyers and Deon Lotz – it takes its cue from Botha’s new translation of Chekhov’s The Seagull.
Nominated for six Kanna Awards at the KKNK and third Woordfees production headed by Olwagen, is his self-penned Dogma. Described as a conversation between the church of his youth and the church of today, the text revolves around a young man who witnesses the deterioration of his parents’ marriage after his dad is diagnosed with MS.
Created specifically as this year's flagship production, 16 Onse is a concert that will appeal to music lovers from all backgrounds. Under the direction of Janine Neethling, Melissa van der Spuy, Schalk Joubert, David Klassen, Luke van der Merwe and Lou-Ann Stone will lead multiple singing icons in a celebration of music and song. Listen out for Stef Bos, Amanda Strydom, Gloria Bosman, Tim Moloi and Hemelbesem.
1 o'clock, 2 o'clock Rock is a series of daily lunchtime acoustic rock shows. Francois van Coke, Koos Kombuis, Schalk Joubert, Arno Carstens, Bed on Bricks and Jan Blohm will appear. Tickets are sold with or without a lunch option.
Cinephiles are catered for, thanks to a selection of films screened courtesy of the kykNET Silwerskerm Festival. Put Annalet Steenkamp’s documentary, Ek, Afrikaner, high on your viewing list, as well as feature films Die Windpomp and Die Ballade van Robbie de Wee.
After having proved very popular during their launch in Camp's Bay during Silwerskerm’s main event in August, short films Almon, Henry(written by Nataniël), Nommer 37(winner of the Best Director and Best Script) and Vuil Wasgoed(Best Short Film) are also worth seeing.
Thought leaders from all disciplines will once again also descend on the winelands’ town to engage with topical issues. These panel discussions form part of the Diskoers(discourse) programme section.
“Leadership in Africa: different cultures and values – how is it done?”, “SA on an economic knife point” and “Where does South Africa lie on the technological curve?”, are a few of the topics that will be under discussion.
With so much to do, when attending for the first time this year Botha stresses that it is important to plan properly. “If you plan well, you can attend up to 14 events in one day. Go early, budget time to drink numerous cups of coffee or glasses of wine while attending any of the many interesting talks and informal discussions. “If you go home feeling intellectually stimulated, emotionally moved and with bigger insight in the human condition, we have succeeded.”
l www.woordfees.co.za 0861 915 8000, www.computicket.com.