In Grahamstown, the Long Table venue on the Main Road becomes a temporary drinking hole for performers at the National Arts Festival into the wee small hours.
This is where two years ago Tara Louise Notcutt boldly told one of the Cape Town Edge organisers, Rob Murray, that she thought they needed a festival manager.
He took her up on the challenge, which is how she found herself grappling with black drapes, sushi and the vagaries of blue chemical toilets last year.
Now in its fifth year, the Cape Town Edge is a collective of independent theatre makers showcasing their work as a touring platform, under one roof at the Princess Alice Hall.
It’s not just that the work is all Capetonian that makes it a special experience; the organisers pool their resources to provide a front of house offering second to none, good food for the hungry, sherry for the cold and a cosy garden spot to mill around and while away the time between shows.
While one production team is presenting a theatre piece on stage, the rest are out marketing their friends’ product, helping sell tickets or busking through the Village Green.
Despite helping to organise the Cape Town Edge, Notcutt won’t be in Grahamstown, since she’s slipping off to New York.
The 24-year-old will be spending three weeks at the Lincoln Centre Theatre Directors Lab, working with some of the world’s best up-and-coming directors.
“It’s incredible, six days a week, 12 hours a day, working with 70 directors from all over the world,” said Notcutt.
She’s the only South African participant this year, “and apparently one of the youngest ever. “It’s mildly terrifying,” in her own words.
The other scary part is that her control-freak nature is going to get a severe trial because three of her own shows are being presented in Grahamstown this year, plus she won’t be on hand to see whether new introductions to the Edge are working.
This year – in addition to last year’s collector’s item pins – there’s going to be a passport containing show information, maps, space for a daily planner and a way to collect stamps for every show attended. “The more stamps you collect, the better the prize,” said Notcutt.
The new organisers have a three-year plan for how to make the Edge the best festival within a festival, but the marketing strategies aren’t just about bringing in the audience. They also wanted to highlight theatre people who hadn’t been exposed to the National Arts Festival audience before, for example Yvette Hardie directing a play for a change.
“We wanted to present new fabulous ways of seeing people in a new light,” said Notcutt.
While her …miskien was first seen at last year’s Festival, it is now on the Arena programme, while Mafeking Road and Dream, Brother are new to festinos.
Dream, Brother is a romantic story inspired by the seascape paintings of Scottish painter Jack Vettriano. Written by Duncan Buwalda, it’s magical realism meets fantasy produced by Iceman Productions. “It’s been nice to come into a process with a cast and script already in place,” said Notcutt.
“What’s so great is the shows were made to be done anywhere, with nothing.”
l The National Arts Festival runs from June 30 to July 10, and on the last day all Fringe productions are half price, including The Ogreling and Mafeking Road.
Cape Town Edge: Daily Line-up
l 10am: The Ogreling: Yvette Hardie directs, with the assistance of Ntombi Makhutshi, Suzanne Lebeau’s story about the six-year-old son of an izim (ogre) who discovers his nature and decides to escape his destiny. This richly evocative play is aimed at the whole family.
l Noon: Mafeking Road: Herman Charles Bosman for the next generation. The physical talents of Andrew Laubscher and Mathew Lewis come together under the direction of Tara Louise Notcutt, bringing stories such as In the Withaak’s Shade to life.
l 2pm: Interiors: Amy Jephta, in association with Cape Town Edge and the Space Behind the Couch, presents a man, a woman and a table, three ingredients necessary for the dissection and analysis of human relationships and love. Stars Nadia Maria Caldeira and Beren Beknap.
l 4pm: Isangqa/Sirkelpad: This adaptation, based on the stories of Racheltjie de Beer and Kara Majola, is an adventure through time and space where puppets, shadows and audience interaction take them on a journey of the imagination. Text also by Amy Jephta. (Afrikaans and Xhosa).
l 6pm: …miskien: sometimes a comedy, sometimes a tragedy, Tara Notcutt’s acclaimed production is about two best friends, the spaces between people and how we choose to fill them. Stars Albert Pretorius and Gideon Lombard. This show appears as part of the Arena programme this year.
l 8.30pm: Nic Danger and the Rise of Space Ninjas: an ordinary boy, Nic was born with a moustache of epic proportions. Travelling into the future overrun by space ninjas, only Nic can save the day.