Part II of the great Cape Town Fringe 2016 guide
Yes, I know, it’s been a long week waiting for Part II of our in-depth, exhaustively researched, fantastically fetching what-to-see guide to the Cape Town Fringe of 2016, coming to the city of hipsters, seagulls, narrow roads and moerse big boulders for 17 days from 22 September.
Sjoe!
You probably didn’t think us seaside surfer slackers would ever actually get Part II down. But we did. Actually, I did. So here:
Fishwives: The first time I saw these frock ‘n rollers no less than three bar fights broke out. Okay, they were playing in a dive in the testosterone overloaded corner of the Cape called Hout Bay, but still. Three.
I reckon it was due to the fact that this band is fronted by three damn fine women who have no problem singing about cunnilingus. These head-turning frocksters are no Britney-Barbie babes shaking their ass to asinine synth. No way (although Cal can get her midriff doing a mesmerising Balkan belly shimmy). They’re quick fingered quick witted song sirens driven by the blues beat of Strato’s bass drum.
They play at the Cape Town Fringe on 22, 25 and 26 September. The Critter review here.
Falling off the Horn: This crew of masked mimes are from the Grahamstown-based Uyabona Ke? company who won an Ovation Award under Rob Murray’s direction (yes the Rob who is guest director of this year’s fringe) for Waterline which premiered at National Arts Festival in 2015 and took a no holds barred stab at government and municipal corruption.
They moved on to create Falling off the Horn under Sam Pennington’s direction and won another Ovation at this year’s fest. They’ll be at Cape Town Fringe from 30 September to 3 October.
The Finkelsteins are Coming to Dinner: Well, this one features Andrew Laubscher, who is so fucking fantastic The Critter has never written anything about him. Then there’s David Viviers, who I have mentioned as acting so well as a murderous sycophant that I hated him (review here) and then there’s Megan Furniss, who swore she would never have anything to do with this Eastern Cape import called Cape Town Fringe. That she’s changed her mind is perhaps an indication of how a great play can sway even our most tightly held opinions. Thus, I’m very curious to see what director Adrian Collins is going to do with Richard Kaplan’s text.
The Finkelsteins dine at Cape Town Fringe from 22 September all the way to 8 October, although they take a sextet of evenings off in between.
Fabric of theUniverse: When I first saw these crocheted things hanging around this year’s fest I bemoaned the yarn bombing hipster grannies having made it all the way to the rural refuge of Grahamstown. It was case of prejudice pushing poor choices as I apparently missed one of the sleeper hits of the NAF (There is a pun in there somewhere, I think) ’cause I didn’t bother to notice it was Lexi Meyer’s bizarre imagination at work.
I’ll definitely be going to see what this aberrant artist is up to when she knots her show up at Cape Town Fringe between 1 and 8 September.
The Emissary: Okay look folks, this is a Louis Viljoen play with the eminent Emily Childs and the amazing Andrew Laubscher, who we’ve never written anything about, on stage.
It is bound to contain a lot of swearing and contain a fucked up story line. It is also bound to be brilliant. If you’re unsure, read our review of The Pervert Laura and The Frontiersmen.
This trio show up at the Cape Town Fringe between 22 September and 8 October, with only a two-night break to catch their breath inbetween.
Eat, Post, Love: A godawful title for a play but anyway, it is directed by Philip Rademeyer, who’s work we have applauded more than once. In fact, he’s managed to make hardened anti-crying Critter Sarah Roberson dab at her eyes. Actually, he’s so good at the emotional punch that he’s done it more than once.
I’m guessing with Anne Hirsch in the mix here, he’s decided to try make people laugh instead. While Sarah may be an anti-cryer, I’m an anti-laugher so we’ll check if he can crack this dour nut.
On and off at Cape Town Fringe from 23 – 30 September.
Diva Night: This one is likely to cook. Three young, gifted and black women with voices that’ll do things to you. Well, I’m basing this all on seeing Asanda Mqiki at Cape Town Fringe last year. She’ll certainly do things to you, and I suspect Nombasa and Msaki will do some more.
On 8 October at the Cape Town Fringe only.
Death of a Clown: Saw Ryan Napier dance in Douche at Cape Town Fringe last year as one of a foursome who examined the cracks of modern masculinity. I really enjoyed that work, exhorting the dancers to go forth and conquer. Well, Ryan’s on his own here, I reckon he’s likely to conquer rather than conk.
On at Cape Town Fringe from 22 – 29 September.
De-Apart-Hate: This is Mamela Nyamza as writer/director and choreographer, and performing with Mihlali Gwatyi. It’s Mamela Nyamza. Do I need to say more? Read this, in which Critter Sarah Roberson announces she’s become a Nyamzist (or should that be Mamelite?). If that doesn’t convince you, read this.
There’s just a slim chance that what with Mamela writing, directing, choreographing and dancing, hubris may creep in. We’ll keep an eye on that.
At Cape Town Fringe on 1 October and then again from the 6th – 8th.
Dangled: This is the play in which Rob van Vuuren, who has become known by Born-Frees as a funny guy, shows that he hasn’t forgotten how to act. And he can act. Fo’ Sho’. So well in fact, that he shocked a lot of people when he performed in this show at fest in Grahamstown this year.
Be warned, this is a Louis Viljoen script.
On at Cape Town Fringe from 28 September to 8 October. Read our review here.
Comedy Masterclass: Ay, I’ve never seen this Aaron Mcilroy oke, but people I know reckon he was completely whacked-out brill.
On at Cape Town Fringe from 29 September to 4 October.
Butlers and Broadway: “The stage looked like the director had smoked a doobie and gone running through a Crazy Store, grabbing things and flinging them onto his actors.”
“This may sound harsh, but actually, the play was so shabby, so crass, so gross, it was actually quite hilarious. And quite fun.”
Those quotes come from our review of their show at NAF this year. Read it here.
Get your dose at Cape Town Fringe on and off between 24 September and 8 October.
Blaqseed: Really dug these musos from Vanderbijlpark at fringe last year. They’ve got good shit going, let’s see if they’ve improved their staging.
They’ll be strutting their stuff again (hopefully strutting is what they will be doing) at Cape Town Fringe this year between 4 and 8 October. Read our review of last year’s show here.
OKAY.
That’s all our recommendations folks. But remember, just ’cause we haven’t seen it (or anyone in it) doesn’t mean it isn’t good, damn good, brilliant, or awful.
In other works, make up your own damn mind now.
Kisses. x