Arts festival turns 21

THE annual Witness Hilton Arts Festival turns 21 this year and takes place on the beautiful grounds of Hilton College, from 12 to 15 September.

The festival attracts a mix of phenomenal South African performers and artists gleaned from the most prestigious stages around the country, including the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in July.

This year’s festival starts with two full days’ programme of age-specific arts-events aimed at schools on 12 September for primary and 13 September for high schools. It is a celebration of all that is young, new and vibrant and has been dubbed Jongosi, which is designed to educate, entertain and allow pupils to expand their world view. Now in its third year, Jongosi has been a phenomenal success. Schools wishing to participate, should sign up as soon as possible on theatre@hiltoncollege.com or sh@hiltoncollege.com

There is also a full programme of theatre and events for young people during the main festival weekend.

The drama programme is particularly strong this year. The Witness Flagship production is Solomon and Marion. The Hilton festival is delighted to welcome Dame Janet Suzman, who appears opposite Khayalethu Anthony in Lara Foot’s multi award-winning play.

Among the drama highlights are Vigil, Morris Panych’s award-winning black comedy, with Graham Hopkins and Vanessa Cooke, directed by Christopher Weare. An Unromantic Comedy, a funny, painful and poignant look at contemporary relationships, written by Rosalind Butler, directed by Craig Freimond, stars Charmaine Weir Smith, Jaci de Villiers and Antony Coleman.

Crazy In Love is devised and performed by Andrew Buckland and Liezl de Kock under the direction of Rob Murray, and is the tragicomic story of a father-daughter search for his missing bride and her mother.

In The List, Leila Henriques directs celebrated South African actress, Susan Danford, in this award-winning play by Canadian playwright, Jennifer Tremblay, produced by The Baxter Theatre.

Also on the line-up is storyteller, Gcina Mhlope, Greig Coetzee’s poetry programme, Rhymes with Orange, Jacobus van Heerden’s Super Chop and Rise of the Insanity League, featuring Ben Voss, Aaron McIlroy and John van de Ruit.

As always, there is a supper theatre murder mystery, this year it is The Strange Case of the North Coast Sugar Baron.

Complementing the theatrical line-up is some great diverse music. Christopher Duigan will be presenting his always anticipated fabulous Music Revival Concert Series this year, featuring 10 concerts.

There is an extensive programme of revues, cabaret and light music and live music for free on the public stages at the festival.

Booking is open and the full programme can be found on www.hiltonfestival.co.za or contact 033 383 0126 /7 or theatre@hiltoncollege.com for more information.