SINCE the Woordfees Festival literally celebrates the word, there are several lectures and talks in the Writers Festival dealing with new writing. These include Antjie Krog reading from her first poetry anthology in eight years, Mede-wete (Book Tent, March 9, noon) or the head of SAFact, Corné Guldenpfennig, talking about why you should think twice before downloading free e-books (Erfurthuis, March 13, 4pm).
A series of conversations at Erfurthuis will feature actors talking about the hit productions they were involved in, like PG du Plessis taking about Siener in die Suburbs, the ’70s play that set him on the path to becoming one of South Africa’s foremost writers (March 9, 1pm).
In addition, a production of the drama also debuts at Woordfees. Directed by Heinreich Reisenhofer, Oscar Petersen’s adaptation sets the action on the Cape Flats with a coloured cast for the first time (Spier Amphitheatre, March 6 to 8, 8.30pm).
Or how about Erik Holm and Tinarie van Wyk Loots talking about the lead characters they play in Dogma? (March 12, 1pm).
Written and directed by this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist for Drama, Christiaan Olwagen, Dogma – which asks some difficult questions about God and faith – won two Kannas at the KKNK last year (Attie van Wijk Auditorium, March 6 and 7 at 8.30pm; March 7 and 8 at 11am; March 8 at 4pm).
Olwagen also directs a stellar cast including Sandra Prinsloo, Marius Weyers, Gerben Kamper, Deon Lotz, Albert Pretorius and Cintaine Schutte in an adaptation of Anton Checkov’s The Seagull, Die Seemeeu (Oude Libertas Amphitheatre, March 9 to 14 at 8.15pm).
Holm is also in the premiere of Blou-Blou, a one-man show created for him, directed by Jan Groenewald (Klein Libertas Theatre, March 10, 4pm; March 11 at 8.30pm and March 13 at 11pm).
Together with Stian Bam, Van Wyk Loots is also in André JP Brink’s Orgie, directed by Juanita Swanepoel (Klein Libertas Theatre, March 9 at 8.30pm; March 11 and 14 at 11am and March 13 at 2.3pm).
Other new theatre works include Philip Rademeyer again delving into the experience of the other with a new production, Adam Twee, starring Wessel Pretorius (Kelin Libertas Theatre, March 6 at 4pm; March 8 and 12 at 6.30pm; March 11 at 10.30pm; March 15 at 1pm).
Or how about: Albert Maritz directing Viljé Maritz and Francois Jacobs as two canoeists who capsize during a competition and start re-evaluating their lives while awaiting rescue in Frats, which will go to Inniebos in July.
Additional highlights include:
• Vetterag of te not, which deals with weight and the trouble it takes to keep it, or lose it;
• Son.Maan.Sterre is an adaptation of Alice Birch’s drama Many Moons;
• Skuldeiser is an adaptation of August Strindberg’s Creditors, directed by Ilse van Hemert, starring Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Lionel Newton and Stiaan Smith;
• Net ’n Chilli Burger en Chips, Asseblief! is a comedy playing out in a Parow take-away;
• Pienkvoet is Leon Kruger’s comedy about love and parenthood.
There are also English lectures and productions to be spotted such as Hermann Gilliomee talking to Dennis Cruywagen about the starkly different paths in life aken by brothers Abraham and Constand Viljoen in Brothers in War & Peace (Book Tent, March 11, noon) or Alan Committie is (still) alive with… The Sound of Laughter or Fishin’ Trip, directed by Jaco van Niekerk.
The programme of classical music features everything from eight pianists on eight pianos (Paul Roos Centre, March 7, 9pm) to the Miagi New School Orchestra (Endler Hall, March 6, 5.30pm), while the Sanlam Music Festival encompasses contemporary music, cabaret and the spoken word.
A programme of 17 short films and four feature films including the surreal Die Windpomp and Flemish hit Het Vonnis will be screened at the Book Tent on March 7 and 8.
Works aimed at children, visual art and food shows complete the programme.
• Woordfees takes place around Stellenbosch from March 6 to 15. Go to http://www.sun.ac.za/afrikaans/woordfees for further information.