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.
Theatre-goers can look forward to a host of options at the festival, which runs from 14 to 22 August.
And best of all – Sun readers can enter our online competition to win tickets to some of the shows.
Go to our competitions page to enter.
This year’s festival takes on added significance as 2015 has been named the African Union’s year on women empowerment.
Playhouse CEO and artistic director, Linda Bukhosini is excited about the eclectic mix at SAWAF 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.
The festival will focus 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.”
A selection of what theatre-goers can look forward to at the festival:
- A Woman in Waiting by Thembi Mtshali a powerful biographical journey into the dark heart of what life was like for women in apartheid South Africa. It uses visual imagery, song, chanting and evocative action to relate an emotive and compelling story that is so much a part of the fabric of our history. The show is directed by Yaël Farber
- Santa’s Story is another production to pencil in. Coming straight from a highly successful run in New York, where the play featured in the First International Folksbiene Yiddish Festival in June. It’s 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.
- Fishers of Hope, a relatively new SA play by multi-award winning writer/director, Lara Foot explores the meaning of hope in the African continent. This is traditional African story-telling at its best, mixed with dance, music and video projections.
SAWAF festival also provides several opportunities like the intergenerational dialogue with Leeanda Reddy, Llianne Loots, Estelle Sinkins, Sbongile Nzimande and Lebo Mashile as the facilitator. The dialogue will deliberate on the topic glamorising the performing arts – the responsibility of artists versus the celebrity fad and why sexual violence and violence against women and girls is so prevalent on stage television and movies.
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. This periodic styled piece presents a story gallery of life journeys of adversity and the discovery of links in human connection.
There is 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 includes a sundowner concert with Khanyo Maphumulo.
In an effort to curb the high rates of violence against women, and thereby promoting gender equity, SAWAF will include a workshop promoting this cause. It will include a panel discussion of key male figures within the gender-based violence sector. Members of the audience will also largely be male participants as the idea is to have men talk to other men about this issue with the hope of them ultimately committing to take action against violence on women. The workshop will be facilitated by DramAide using the Brothers for Life campaign under the theme, ‘Men Standing Against Violence on Women.’ It takes place on 14 August at 2pm. The Playhouse will also host a parenting workshop on 22 August, where among the speakers will be Zama Mbaso, director of Family and Marriage SA (FAMSA), Paddy Kearney, Hlengiwe Mgabadeli and Cookie Edwards, facilitated by Linda Zama. Also on 22 August, there is a theatre day for children, with loads of entertainment 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 not to be missed with Playhouse CEO and artistic director Linda Bukhosini as facilitator and Michelle Constant, CEO from Business Arts SA, as keynote speaker.
Special sundowner concerts will feature Lusia Mthiyane, Khanyo Maphumulo and Heather Groove and DJ Happy Girl, along with Test Driving the Arts Concerts featuring Clermont Choral Foundation, Inqaba Yevangeli, Just for Joy and Amazing Grace.
For details about the festival, visit www.playhousecompany.com or the Playhouse Facebook page.
Book via Computicket or the box office on 031-369-9540/9596.
Special discounted parking is available for Playhouse patrons at the Albany/ Royal Hotel parking.
