{"id":3282,"date":"2019-06-21T23:52:50","date_gmt":"2019-06-21T22:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/?p=3282"},"modified":"2020-03-31T19:43:31","modified_gmt":"2020-03-31T18:43:31","slug":"naf-guide-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/?p=3282","title":{"rendered":"Critter knows Best: our Guide to the Rest"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Plug In. Image borrowed from #NAF2019 programme, by Julien Mellano for ERSATZ.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Critter Kretz launched our pre-NAF opinions on what piques The Critter\u2019s interests. Read part I<\/a>\u00a0and part II<\/a> which cover what\u2019s categorised under Fringe Theatre.<\/p>\n

Here now, is the Best of the Rest. Well, not all of it. 240 pages! Y\u2019all need to get out your sticky notes and highlighters and do some sifting work of your own.<\/p>\n

This is The Critter\u2019s Guide to:<\/p>\n

The Abstract. The Esoteric and Experimental. The Fringey-Fringe productions which infiltrate the Liminal. Those that stir up our sensibilities. Them that hurl caution to the winds. That which shakes itself loose of providing answers, setting the emotions and thoughts whirring for days after the experience.<\/p>\n

Usually I\u2019d turn to the Fringe Dance and Physical Theatre sections in the programme and hey presto, it\u2019s all there. But jislaaik guys\u2026 it\u2019s a little scant this year. So scant, NAF merged the two sections and nog steeds we\u2019re not racking up even 30 productions there.<\/p>\n

[Stage whisper, aside]: Noticeably, we\u2019re missing several dance faithfuls like MIDM, Vuyani, CDC, CAPA, KMAD, Underground Dance Theatre (although we last saw them a few years ago), Flatfoot, and others like Phakama and Liquid Fusion who were becoming regulars. Sure there\u2019s good reason. Do fill us in.<\/p>\n

But no matter! We\u2019ll tangle and twist it around a little. Ignore the labels! Anyhow, much of what you\u2019ll find under Fringe Theatre (until three years ago called Drama), I\u2019ll comfortably punt as Physical Theatre\u2026 the likes of Kafka\u2019s Ape, Unfathomable, Warona, Trash Hound, Phitlho (The Hidden), pretty much all from the Contagious crew, and the Rob van Vuuren goods like Electric Juju (described as a \u201cphysical theatre fantasy epic\u201d). So. Ja.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s forge ahead with our Guide to the Unexpected, the Weird & the Wonderful.<\/p>\n

On that there uncurated hodgepodge of a Fringe, we\u2019re liking the looks of:<\/p>\n

Lost & Found<\/a><\/strong>: Matchbox Theatre Collective are no newbies to the NAF. Co-directors Bailey Snyman (SBYA for Dance in 2012) and Nicola Haskins regularly impress with their physical prowess, as we\u2019ve mentioned here<\/a> and here<\/a>. They know how to magically make the taxing demands of dance performance look like they\u2019re swanning around the Village Green on a Sunday afternoon. Find yourself a ticket. (They\u2019ve also got Gas Lands<\/strong><\/a> happening on the Main.)<\/p>\n

Battles! Iimfazwe! Transportation To The Past<\/strong><\/a>: Makhanda\u2019s homegrown artists show off their superior performance and singing skills in this historical tour, directed by Masixole Heshu. The Critter was impressed by last year\u2019s The Xhosa Chronicles<\/em> (read here<\/a>) and we\u2019ve applauded several of these performers on stage before with Ubom! for many years, with Rob Murray (here<\/a>), and Tara Notcutt (here<\/a>). I\u2019m keen. #supportlocal<\/p>\n

Ukupheleliswa<\/strong><\/a>: We know little about this crew, and the programme note talks about educating audiences \u2013 which if done subtly can be good, if not, can spell disaster\u2026 but choreographer Sanele Ximba comes from Flatfoot Dance training so we\u2019re curious to see what\u2019s happening here.<\/p>\n

Zombie Attack<\/strong><\/a>: Snuck in right at the bottom of the physical theatre offerings is Zombie Attack<\/em>. Ga\u00ebtan Schmid performs. Andrew Laubscher directs. Both are consummate theatre practitioners and they\u2019re guaranteed to provide hearty comic warmth to cure the festival chills.<\/p>\n

2Dee<\/strong><\/a>: Found this one in between the magicians, sorry, illusionists (what\u2019s in a name?!) I\u2019m a sucker for shadow puppetry (also all puppets), and 2Dee<\/em> is promising to captivate, delight and charm us by exploring \u201cthe spectacular versatility of this ancient art-form through a collection of poetry and short stories\u201d. Oooohh. Count me in.<\/p>\n

When Coasts Meet<\/strong><\/a>: Nomcebisi Moyikwa dons her director\u2019s cap for this one. I\u2019ve had this<\/a> and this<\/a> to say about her work back when she bagged two Standard Bank Ovation Awards in one fest. She\u2019s an artist who prefers to veer off the well-trodden theatre pathways so you can expect she and young writer-performer Khwezi Becker to take us on quite an expedition through identity politics to question if and how and where we belong.<\/p>\n

My Daily Bread<\/strong><\/a>: Students from the University of Western Cape tackling the important issue of food security, food privilege, food waste. A hot topic for a continent where so many live below the breadline, where so much of our food is exported to 1st worlds and ends up in landfills. Interested to see how they deal with this, and hoping for much youngblood creativity!<\/p>\n

Ordentlik<\/strong><\/a>: Another team unknown to The Critter but their blurb has me intrigued. They speak of \u201cthe volksmoeder<\/em> in a decaying cycle of ordentlikheid<\/em>\u201d and promise a \u201cbrutal deconstruction of this colonial figure in a post-apartheid era\u201d. Ja, nee, hel, klink interesant.<\/p>\n

Ityala Lamawele<\/strong><\/a>: Mandla Mbothwe and Thando Doni direct. Amidst the stellar cast are powerhouses Faniswa Yisa, and Chuma Sopotela, 2018\u2019s Standard Bank Young Artist for Performance Art. The story concerns \u201ca dispute between the fictional twins Wele and Babini over their deceased father\u2019s estate \u2026 resolved via a traditional Xhosa legal trial\u201d. It promises to be a visual feast of musical storytelling and word on the street is it\u2019s rather fantastic.<\/p>\n

Warts and All<\/strong><\/a>: This one\u2019s from the PE school of AFDA, and I confess I might\u2019ve skimmed over it if I hadn\u2019t noticed the directors\u2019 names \u2013 Haxton, Schneeberger, and Dr Smit, who\u2019ve earned their NAF stripes several times over. The quirky blurb tells me to get ready for a healthy helping of satire and fun and perhaps a little pathos too, hey guys?<\/p>\n

Back to Fringe Dance for a moment, we\u2019re keeping an eye on the international artists and groups visiting Mzanzi\u2019s biggest arts fest, each offering something a little different:<\/p>\n

Sunduza Dance Theatre from neighbouring Zimbabwe, presents The Adventures Of Robert Moffat<\/strong><\/a>, about the 1830s diaries of Scottish Missionary Robert Moffat and his meetings with Mzilikazi, King of the Ndebele.<\/p>\n

From further north in Angola come the Palasa Dance Company with Candongueiro<\/strong><\/a>, which explores Angola\u2019s social issues through the lives of people connected by the local public transport, the candongueiro<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Barriers, Bridges and Bones<\/strong><\/a> is a collaboration between South African Bonwabise Mbontsi and American Teianna Chenkovich who \u201cjourney to find what connects people and makes us human in a seemingly disconnected and inhumane world\u201d.<\/p>\n

And from across the deep blue we welcome the Nan Hua Temple artists from China, who are collaborating with South African artists to present the spectacular\u00a0Mother Earth<\/strong><\/a>. There are two performances (1st & 2nd day of NAF) so no snoozing or you\u2019re losing.<\/p>\n

Now, there\u2019s a few corners in Makhanda where you\u2019ll find the kinda stuff to awaken, jolt, and inspire you:<\/p>\n

Arts Lounge Africa<\/strong><\/a> is a platform for live art, installations, exhibitions and conversations with artists, writers and curators. It’s free and there’s coffee. Do yourself a favour.<\/p>\n

The CREATIVATE<\/strong><\/a> programme of exhibitions, workshops and discussions looks bloody awesome and we\u2019d not blame you for choosing to spend your entire festival rooted there. Up at the blocky monument, look out for: African automatons; 3D printed fine art sculptures; \u201clingering ancestral spirits that have been turned into residual code\u201d; \u201chow games and politics are intertwined and are inseparable\u201d; a Poetic Hackathon; and a \u201cvery real Orwellian 1984 situation \u2013 happening right now\u201d. Is there more to say? Go.<\/p>\n

No arguments.\u00a0Make time for the\u00a0Return of the Cypher<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0free sessions at the Black Power Station. There\u2019s so much happening there that\u2019ll challenge the questions and distort the thoughts you have about arts and culture in our Azania and beyond.<\/p>\n

We also sneaked a peek over there at the Main where the super-experts select the works. Here\u2019s a sprinkling of ideas that beat back the traditional genre labels. (Hint: a closer look at the info strip below some shows reveals insightful notes like: \u201cintermedial\u201d, \u201cperformance art\u201d, \u201cphysical theatre\u201d and so on.)<\/p>\n

This is what we\u2019re hoping to squeeze into the 11 Days of Yeehah:<\/p>\n

DEURnis \/ Uzwelo<\/strong><\/a>: Like most, I’m a fraidy-cat about being called up on stage and DEURnis sounds like a tricky reincarnation of that terror. Still gonna try it out. Seems a zesty concept: solo performer, solo audience member. Three 20-minute performances per show. Ensure to check which ‘group’ you’re booking. They explain the deets best themselves so click the bold title to link to the info. Tickets are limited, peeps.<\/p>\n

The Boat<\/strong><\/a>: I\u2019d be surprised if the A-team collaboration of Themba Mbuli, Fana Tshabalala, Thulani Chauke, and Billy Langa doesn\u2019t deliver a knockout success. Music by Xolisile Bongwana. Watching this space.<\/p>\n

Ersatz<\/strong><\/a>: I’m a Black Mirror superfan so that’s all the promise I need. Done.<\/p>\n

Swarm Theory<\/strong><\/a>: Dudes, check this out. It\u2019s right up our alley we reckon. Site-specific. Spontaneous. Stirring. \u201c\u2026unique to its ecosystem of sounds, smells, rhythms and people\u201d. Probably seriously scary in its deeper themes. Created by Kyla Davis of Well Worn Theatre (who has 5! shows at fest) along with physical theatre and clown extraordinaire Daniel Buckland. Featuring them both and a cast second to none. Hell’s bells, we\u2019re looking forward to getting caught up in this.<\/p>\n

Encryption<\/strong><\/a>: I experienced choreographer Kristi-Leigh Gresse\u2019s Sullied<\/em> last year which took on religion and body politics, but for reasons unknown I didn\u2019t write about it then. Mistake! Because I appreciated it so. It was clever and emotionally charged and raw and gritty and so good that it won a Gold Standard Bank Ovation Award (hence being on the Arena this year) and went on to win a South East Dance award at the Brighton Fringe this year. Not bad.<\/p>\n

Birthing Nureyev<\/strong><\/a>: On the Arena programme and conceived by that wonderous bastion of creativity that is Ignatius van Heerden. Following on 2017\u2019s award-winning Nijinsky\u2019s War<\/em> which I said was polished and disquieting and captured the essence of \u2018fringe\u2019 \u2013 read more here<\/a> \u2013 we\u2019re being delivered a work on another of Russia\u2019s most iconic dancers, Rudolf Nureyev. Yes please, we are excited.<\/p>\n

Moonless<\/strong><\/a>: Gopala Davies directed the abovementioned Nijinsky\u2019s War<\/em>, and a coupla moons ago we wondered carefully about his theatre\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0and here<\/a>. If you\u2019re familiar, you\u2019ll understand why we say his middle name is Abstracto-Mysteriouso. With Moonless<\/em>, the \u201c\u2026performance is physically driven, deviating from the primacy of the spoken word\u2026\u201d which we were promised in 2016’s Les Cenci<\/em> (see linked review). Davies and co-creator Micia de Wet have numerous awards between them. But best of all, there\u2019ll be pictures and animation!<\/p>\n

In Situ<\/strong><\/a>: Mira Calix uses \u201cmusic and sound, which she considers sculptural material\u201d to create a sound art installation. A collaboration with a sonographer and interplanetary geologist to meld visuals with the aural\u2026 if it weren\u2019t on the Main, it\u2019d be crazy Fringe methinks.<\/p>\n

Arcade<\/strong><\/a>: Sure to take the \u201cwhoa, that shit\u2019s out there\u201d cake, is this body-based live-art pop-up gallery of performance art. First Physical Theatre Company, Gavin Krastin and Alan Parker (who\u2019ve been discussed here<\/a> and here<\/a>\u00a0respectively), are curating this immersive exhibition featuring a group of cutting-edge emerging performance artists. Can\u2019t wait.<\/p>\n

Aaaaand, no. That\u2019s enough to fill the 11 days twice. Although the above word count could fulfil a PHD thesis, this is in No Way an exhaustive list. There\u2019s so much more to explore. Please do.<\/p>\n

Good luck choosing. See you in Makhanda.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Critter Kretz launched our pre-NAF opinions on what piques The Critter\u2019s interests. Read part I\u00a0and part II which cover what\u2019s categorised under Fringe Theatre. Here now, is the Best of … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[2,4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3282"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3282"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3282\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3824,"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3282\/revisions\/3824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thecritter.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}