Eclectic mix on offer at Women’s Festival

THERE'S no better way to honour the struggles, sacrifices and successes of women than feasting yourself on the fine drama, dance, dialogue, music and entertainment on offer at the annual Playhouse company’s SA Women's Festival, which runs from 14 to 22 August.

This year's festival takes on added significance as 2015 has been named the African Union's year on women empowerment and The Playhouse Company is proud to be playing its own critical role in the whole campaign.

Playhouse CEO and artistic director, Linda Bukhosini, said she is excited about the eclectic mix at the festival this year.

“Audiences will be inspired and entertained by a host of powerful, award-winning stage productions, some of which have enjoyed critical and phenomenal acclaim both here and abroad. Add to this mix a mouth-watering programme of dance dramas, a gala concert featuring some of the biggest names in the music business, slam poetry, musical entertainment, a children's theatre day, panel discussions, and you have a festival that caters for a wide variety of tastes and all members of the family. The festival will focus very sharply and purposefully on the issues that impact on the advancement and empowerment of women, and the role women continue to play in our new democracy.”

Theatre-goers can look forward to shows including A Woman in Waiting, which is a powerful biographical journey into the dark heart of what life was like for women in apartheid South Africa. Another not-to-be-missed production is Santa's Story, which is a moving, one woman show depicting Santa Pelham's journey of courage, inspiration and hope. It is a story enacted by her daughter, award-winning singer Aviva Pelham who has distinguished herself in several starring roles in opera, operetta, musicals and concerts both locally as well as in London, Paris and Israel. Fishers of Hope explores the meaning of hope in the African continent.

A special treat is in store for music lovers who attend the gala concert which features a predominantly women orchestra with a full female choir, Maskandi and Umbaqanga. The line-up includes some of the country's finest musical talent, including Thandiswa Mazwai, Mahotella Queens, Sally Silver, Xolisa Dlamini, Vumile Mngoma and Khanyo Maphumulo.

The Playhouse Dance Residency will be performing their award winning piece If The World Was Listening on Saturday 22 August at 7pm, and there will be an Open Mic and Slam poetry session with Thuli Zuma and Bongani Mavuso where poets will be given an opportunity to share their stories through the art of poetry. This event will include a sundowner concert with Khanyo Maphumulo.

In an effort to curb the high rates of violence against women, and thereby promoting gender equity, this year there will be a workshop on 14 August at 2pm, promoting this very cause. The workshop will include a panel discussion of key male figures within the gender based violence sector.

The Playhouse will also be hosting a parenting workshop on 22 August, as well as a Theatre Day for children, which will boast loads of entertainment to keep them occupied with activities such as drumming, mask-making, face painting, dancing and ends with a special performance of Penelope Pixie’s Birthday Adventure.

A high tea for all women in the arts is another event not to be missed with Linda Bukhosini as the facilitator and Michelle Constant the CEO from Business Arts South Africa as the key note speaker.

For more information about the festival visit www.playhousecompany.com or the Playhouse Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DurbanPlayhouse.

The Festival hotline number is 031 369 9407/369 9596.

All bookings are through Computicket or through the Playhouse box office on 031 369 9540/9596.