Clover Aardklop National Arts Festival runs from October 6 to 10 in Potchefstroom. Diane de Beer checks out some of the highlightsClover Aardklop National Arts Festival runs from October 6 to 10 in Potchefstroom. Diane de Beer checks out some of the highlights
One of the best things about the Potchefstroom arts festival is its strong theatre programme. Even when the powers that be wobble somewhat because they need to keep the money streaming in, there’s always enough for those of us who love drama to grab a few highlights and make sure we get to see them.
This year the balance is weighted between huge dramatic works and farce. That’s quite a swing but, also probably their target audience.
Starting with Bertolt Brecht’s Moeder Moed (Mother Courage), which has been rewarded with three Kanna prizes, it has the punch of director Jerry Mofokeng as well as a translation by the acclaimed Saartjie Botha with Aletta Bezuidenhout returning to home ground in the title role. It shows a world that is reeling under corruption with greed as the big driving force. It doesn’t seem as if that much has changed.
New productions of Siener in die Suburbs telling the story from a coloured perspective with the cast including Shaleen Surtie Richards, Crystal Lee Roberts, Christo Davids and Brendon Daniels is enticing as well as Annamart van van der Merwe’s People Are Living There which was such a hit earlier this year at Joburg’s Market Theatre.
Five new productions debut at Aardklop, starting with Sandra Prinsloo as Jani Allen in an adaptation by yet again the prolific but brilliant Saartjie Botha. This seems like a match made in heaven with enough surprises to keep us watching, while Marida Swanepoel’s Ma! touches on different territory with the playwright’s own daughter Franci exploring the tough relationship with 7de Laan’s Annelisa Weiland in the mother role.
Not many went to see the amazing Nick Payne’s Constellations with Janna Ramos-Violante and Ashley Dowds in Pieter Toerien’s Studio late last year, but here’s another chance to catch this exquisite play translated into Afrikaans with Hemelruim as the title and Tinarie van Wyk Loots and Paul du Toit tripping the light fantastic for this one.
Chris Vorster strips from one character to the next as he returns to yet another solo showing in Aartappels en Ammo (Potatoes and ammo). And why would he not? He writes the darn thing and then slays audiences with his charm on stage in bantering yet entertaining mode.
Husband and wife, Jody Abrahams and Diaan Lawrenson, make magic with Leon Kruger’s latest text, Klein Jakkalsies, which can loosely be translated as Pinpricks, and deals with a marriage where the honeymoon’s brightest colours are fading – rapidly.
Other solo shows include Shaleen Surtie Richards (Die woema van ’n windgat wyfie); Neels van Jaarsveld (Innie rof) which is hopefully better than his previous solo effort, but that was quite a few years back; Albert Pretorius (Lucy’s Party) – with a show that misses this actor and his director’s expected sparkle; Erik Holm in his autobiographical and luminous blou-blou; en Marion Holm in her latest solo (also aided by Chris Vorster), Die Kaap is weer Holms.
Check out other festival favourites including Sandton City Grootdoop (big christening) by Wessel Pretorius, dealing with a mother (Joanie Combrink) and her two adult daughters (Hannah Borthwick and Roeline Daneel); acting couple Elize Cawood and Wilson Dunster in Die Wagkamer (Waiting Room) which tells about their move to an old- age home, or perhaps retirement village is more appropriate. They have hit a rich vein with this neglected audience and there’s no one more equipped than these two to tackle this one; and finally with Christiaan Olwagen in charge, Louis van Niekerk,Wilna Snyman, Tinarie van Wyk Loots, Wilhelm van der Walt and Greta Pietersen flesh out the translation of Alan Birch’s Many Moons in Son. Maan. Sterre which was nominated for a few awards at previous festivals. Taking the age-old theme of secrets and lies, fasten those seatbelts.
If farce catches your fancy, My Boetie se Boetie se Boetie se Baba (Ray Cooney) and Twee vir die Prys van Een (Two for the Prize of One) by Donald Churchill (with that surname, how could he not be British) – both with celebrity- strong casts – and stories that don’t mean much but will have audiences giggling from start to finish.
l Book for Aardklop at Computicket and for more info, visit www aardklop.co.za.