The YOUTH Expression Festival, which coincides with Youth Month, features theatre, poetry, dance, music, comedy and cipher and slam competitions with prizes to be won.
The opening ceremony will begin at The State Theatre at Applause Square with a mock June 16 march in which the re-enactment will be artistically interpreted. This will be followed by the Mahofi Youth Acts (formerly known as The Precinct Programme) on the open-air stage. Part of the fun will be the Djembe Jamboree, a virtuoso display of Ghanaian drumming (by Okonko Lartey and his team of drummers) that includes an interactive section where a number of drums are lent to the crowd who are taught how to drum.
Theatre productions dubbed “theatre expressions” will include 1606, Eight O’clock, Situation Culture, Synman, Silenqa Ntoni, Madam’s Pearl, Voices of Vision, Waiting for Nelson and Roots in the Sky and the US invited production, Blood at the Root.
The music component includes Gospel Fiesta at the Drama on June 21 featuring Mandla Ntatlane, Sbu Banda, William Sejake, Delight Sound and Pastor Thabang Mavunga.
Cipher and hip-hop dance battles will take place on June 20 from 2pm at the Applause Square.
The slam poetry competition will have two elimination rounds and will take place at Satchmos Courtyard on June 18 from 3pm.
There will also be Tshwane Comedy Nights and
Jazz and African Music Nights.
The festival will close with the top South African band The Muffinz on June 28.
Tickets will range from R20 to R150 and are available at Computicket. – Diane de Beer