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‘Hedda Gabler’ leads nominees for this year’s kykNET Fiëstas with seven nods
The kykNET Fiëstas has honoured exceptional achievements in the performing arts since 2011; Hedda Gabler leads the pack this year
In Character: actress Rolanda Marais on Hedda Gabler. The play leads the nominees at this year’s kykNET Fiëstas. Picture Supplied (Gys Loubser)
Theatre production Hedda Gabler leads the nominees’ list with seven nods at this year’s kykNET Fiëstas.
Since 2011, the kykNET Fiëstas has annually honoured exceptional achievements in the performing arts, giving recognition to productions showcased at Afrikaans arts festivals in the preceding year.
Hedda Gabler, described as a modern adaptation of Ibsen’s Hamlet was one of the standout plays in the previous year.
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Hedda Gabler
The play follows the life of Hedda and her husband, Jurg, who have just returned from their honeymoon. Already bored with her new marriage life, Hedda welcomes a former lover into her life.
The play stars Rolanda Marais, who is nominated in the Best Actress category alongside Cintaine Schutte (Onder ’n bloedrooi hemel), Crystal Donna Roberts (Poppie in the Dunes) and Anna-Mart van der Merwe (Speelgoed van glas).
The play was not recognised in the Best Actor category; however, Albert Pretorius from Hedda Gabler was recognised as the Best Actor in the Supporting Role category.
He vies for the award against Ons wag vir Godot’s Gerben Kamper Deon Lotz from Onder ’n bloedrooi hemel and Oscar Petersen from Poppie in the Dunes. The latter two plays also secured nominations in a handful of categories.
Hedda Gabler’s director, Christiaan Olwagen, also bagged a nomination for the adaptation of the play.
Olwagen is nominated in the Best Adaptation of Play or Text with Nico Scheepers for ’n Begin, Ons wag vir Godo’s Naòmi Morgan and the late Nerina Ferreira for Die stoele.
Hedda Gabler’s leading lady, Marais, described director Olwagen as a visionary with talents that few have.
Olwagen is also recognised for his direction of the play. He will be challenged for the award by Dion van Niekerk (Ons wag vir Godot) Scheepers in Speelgoed van glas and Marthinus Basson’s direction in Kruispad of die legende van die goue vis.
The other nominations for Hedda Gabler are Best Achievement in Design and Best Festival Production.
Hedda Gabler is a Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees production supported by NATi and the Baxter Theatre. The play will run at the Baxter Theatre in May this year in both English and Afrikaans.
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The Fiëstas
This year’s Fiëstas ceremony will be held on 27 February at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town.
The awards will not be broadcast live, but organisers said segments will be filmed for various kykNET programmes.
The Fiëstas panel attended seven arts festivals — KKNK, Suidoosterfees, Innibos, Vrystaat Kunstefees, Klein-Karoo Klassique, Momentum Beleggings Aardklop and Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees — to watch all the debut productions on the programme.
Following an extensive voting process verified by auditors, the nominees in the fourteen categories were determined.
Convenor of the Fiëstas panel Carmen Botma said 2024 was a remarkable year of storytelling.
“Whether an attendee found themselves in the audience of an open-air concert, standing before an artwork, experiencing hidden emotions during a theatrical production, participating in a panel discussion, or closing their eyes during a musical performance – thanks to artists, festivalgoers had access to another world, could escape reality, or identify with the creative art before them. For that, we on the panel are deeply grateful.”
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