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Head for Oudtshoorn's arts festival
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April 2, 2009
 By Diane de Beer
Outdoor Theatre/ Site-Specific performances
(All as a result of the co-operation between the Dutch Oeral Festival and the KKNK.)
Ararat: It's the mountain where the ark landed, situated between the border of Armenia and Turkey. It's a war zone. The biblical story is used as a metaphor in today's world, as world leaders preach about natural disasters. This one is mostly in Afrikaans.
Onder Constructie: Slapstick at breakneck speed, here four actors change into different kitchen objects to entertain a family audience.
Salto Vitale: An imaginative and spectacular outdoor theatre piece which deals with issues like "should I let go, take the leap and change my life. Or do I hold on to my comfort zone and not take any chances?".
Dance
Although not always the case at Oudtshoorn, dance is particularly strong this year.
Introdans: Celebrations: The Dutch have a great dance history and this company is among the top three. They veer between contemporary and classical and with a title like this one, should be perfect festival fare.
Hart van dans: Die Lorca Projek: Anything that has Nicole Holm's name attached is worth viewing and this one started with composer, Robert Jeffrey putting Lorca's poems to music. Add to that choreographers Adele Blank, Carolyn Holden and the La Rosa Spanish Dance Company.
In this particular production, Holm will be singing as opposed to acting.
Mzanzi - Africa Delight: Sylvia Glasser's Moving Into Dance Mophatong presents many different dance styles including township jive, Afrofusion, traditional Zulu dance, contemporary and blends them all in a homegrown spectacle.
Ontbloting van die Vroulike Siel: Made possible by the Czech Republic, this Czech dance company spotlights the bizarre ideas of four women who want to show themselves off without falling back on their looks or any showy tricks. It all comes from a need to communicate.
Music
Classical:
Canciones del Sur (music from the South): With the dark-voiced Zanne Stapelberg, a National Arts Festival young artist and the talented Minette du Toit-Pierce who won the ATKV Musiq competition, as well as guitarist James Grace, this trio showcases the music of all the southern countries on particular continents. It's a blend of folk, classical, tango and flamenco with all three performing on different instruments and using their voices.
A Kevin Volans concert is a rare treat in South Africa with this international composer who has been described as one of the most original composing voices in the world now spending some of his time working in the Karoo. It is a landscape which has influenced his compositions which will be performed with Volans, Jill Richards, Waldo Alexander and Susan Mouton on Tinnie Bekker's farm in Calitzdorp.
Pop:
Amanda Strydom and Lize Beekman come together with some of the finest musicians in Saam.
Schalk Joubert is such an exciting musician that you have to catch his combo with Ollie Viljoen titled Blues en Susters also starring Anna Davel; as well as his Węrelde, Wonders en Wysies in which he combines with Vicky Davis as well as some hot musos.
Stef Bos returns with Stillewe which has been specially written for the festival as he spotlights his connection with South Africa and especially Afrikaans.
Laurinda Hofmeyr is back with Asof Vir Die Eerste Keer in a show that is solo and stripped. It's just the composer, her piano and her voice.
Lucas Maree, songwriter supreme, is back with Lankverwag and the music that inspired him as well as a new singing partner, his daughter Monica.
Cutt Glas celebrates 20 years on stage with Alles van die Beste as well as the return of some former members including Anna Davel and Jolette Odendaal.
Ddisselblom takes a step back with Terug in die Teater which takes them back to their roots eight years back and the stuff that made their dreams come true.
Theatre
The reason many go to festivals is theatre and this one is one of the few platforms for new Afrikaans theatre:
A text by Willem Anker and Marthinus Basson as director are probably the only indicators you need to see Sakrament. Add to that the Basson theme of family dysfunction and that the piece is described as a Greek tragedy with contemporary costumes, and many will be hooked.
Sister Breyani (a co-production with the Baxter) directed by Lara Bye is about five sisters, five women's stories but one family tree and one destination. Starring a strong group led by Denise Newman and Mary Daniels, this is another explosive family affair.
18* -with Oudtshoorn's determined effort to target the youth, Marthinus Basson steps up to the mark in this workshopped production with the TVPlus Tienertoneel competition in which they look at the reality of the lives of teens.
Athol Fugard's Bloedbroers starring Hennie Jacobs and Christo Davids directed by Zane Meas (who starred in the original Bloodknot) should be another first for this local classic as it plays to audiences that might not have seen it before.
Die Groen Ghoen with Gys de Villies and Oscar Petersen directed by Jaci de Villiers is an environmentally friendly creation which promises to celebrate rather than lament about the state of the planet. It is fuelled by forceful creative power.
Every Year, Every Day I am Walking was the result of the crisis of refugees in this country and even though this won't be its first season, anything with Magnet Theatre and Jennie Reznek (including Faniswa Yisa) is worth watching.
Ditto for Reza de Wet's Blou Uur which was lauded so lavishly at Aardklop. See it in Oudtshoorn if you can, since it might not play anywhere else and the production, play and performers are all sublime. It's worth travelling for.
Comedy:
Saartjie Botha has paid her comedy dues. The playwright has an unusual eye and with Indien moeg Stop/Rus starring Brendon Daniels and Lulu Botha, she targets traffic cops, women who know their cars and men who can't drive. Seems like a trio made in heaven!
Marion Holm's endearing Sussie has been a festival hit from the start. In her fifth re-incarnation Sussie: Cheers she says goodbye to her fans with some old stories in new clothes and a look at the future, which could be as hysterical as it is bleak. But not for long as this chatterbox steams ahead without missing a beat.
Musical Theatre:
Anything directed by Jaco Bouwer is worth a look and 2-21, which is described as a post-modern fumble with all the problems dealing with being a young Afrikaner, has been earmarked as a garage-spectacular.
Jericho has an impressive cast and production team, with Annamart van der Merwe and Gys de Villiers teaming up again after the hugely successful Uit Die Bloute too many years ago.
This is based on the biblical tale dealing with the trek out of Egypt and musically blends classical and African rhythms.
The Fine Art Scene
One of the most knowledgeable art critics, Johan Myburg, is this year's curator which means there's a new hand guiding the festival.
He has pulled together the different venues so that the art can be viewed in collections rather than trying to run yourself ragged.
Ceramicist Hylton Nel from the area is the festival artist and with his tongue firmly in his cheek, his art is as fine as it is funny.
Other highlights include work by famed artist Walter Meyer, Wendy Malan, a former festival artist as well as some international artists.
Check the Prins Vincent building as well as the Kruisrivier venue on the way to Calitzdorp.
The Klein Karoo National Arts Festival runs until April 11 in Oudtshoorn.
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