Cradock - The 6th annual Schreiner Karoo Writers Festival programme is enriched by unplanned synergy and happy surprises during informal fireside chats, open microphone sessions and chance encounters with remarkable people including Etienne van Heerden and Coenie de Villiers who will screen and discuss their recent Karoo documentary Toorwoorde.
A special staging of Tony Jackman’s new play Cape Of Rebels is just one of the sparklers on the list of talks, walks, tours, performances, screenings and exhibitions.
Learn about the early days of ‘New Journalism’ when Dr Clare Gill (from St Andrews, Scotland) traces the extensive and sometimes surprising representation of Olive Schreiner in the British press throughout her extraordinary career.
Discuss four brand new books with their authors and/or editors: Schreiner scholar Prof Dorothy Driver (Australia), Dr Dean Allen (author of Empire, War & Cricket), Chris Marais (the ‘journey man’ of the Karoo) and Dr Pamela Maseko, co-editor and translator (with Jeff Opland) of the Xhosa histories and poetry of WW Gqoba (1873-1888).
These and a selection of other books will be available from a mini pop-up Clarke’s Bookshop - brought to Cradock for the weekend by Henrietta Dax.
A focus on Matjiesfontein includes two presentations which revisit some of the colourful history of the amazing Karoo oasis. Dean Allen introduces The Lairds Of Matjiesfontein (founder James Logan and re-creator, David Rawdon). Prof Paul Walters and Jeremy Fogg talk about Olive Schreiner's vivid experiences in Matjiesfontein. (She loved the place, yet suffered cruel disillusionment there.)
The feast for history buffs continues with Dean Allen’s talk on cricket in the 1800s and on our three city tours: The Literary Walking Tour of Old Cradock (with Brian Wilmot), a bus tour of Lingelihle Township (‘In the Footsteps of James Calata and Matthew Goniwe’ with Amos Mtetwa) and a second bus trip to visit some of Cradock’s architectural gems with architect Teresa Hardman.
Particularly fascinating after viewing a slide show of historic Cradock images by WW Lidbetter captured on glass negatives in the late Victorian era. Presenter Liz de Wet has a fund of information and anecdotes about the images.
Columnist and author Helen Walne explains why the Karoo is the best place to write and Jill Wolvaardt gives some funny-serious insights into South African English.
As part of our annual Neville Alexander Memorial evening, translator Malcolm Hacksley looks at the good things that can happen at the interface between languages (using the English/Afrikaans encounter as illustration).
Two Open Microphone sessions get all our speakers back in the spotlight. The line-up of poets reading includes Toast Coetzer and Clinton V. Du Plessis.
And you can peep into the future by visiting the NELM Youth Programme (involving four township high schools).
Marvel at the star-studded Karoo night sky, then relax with soup and sherry and one of our evening performances. Chris and Julienne Marais (of Karoo Keepsakes fame) take us on an armchair tour of our heartland. David Muller brings Herman Charles Bosman's beloved Oom Schalk back to life. (National Arts Festival ticket sales are brisk for this show.) And Tony Jackman’s ‘Cape of Rebels’ dramatises a forgotten subtext in the history of South African protest.
Most events take place in historic St Peters hall and Schreiner House – an easy walk from the legendary Victoria Manor and Die Tuishuise (where many festival folk are billeted). A mini market in St Peter’s grounds will afford visitors a sampling of regional artisan production and foods.
All this ... and the Mountain Zebra National Park is only a stone’s-throw from town.
The festival takes place from July 23-26.
* More info: www.karooheartland.com/event/schreiner_karoo_writers_festival_2015