The 14th annual Wits Theatre 969 Festival is around the corner. Starting on Friday and running until the end of the month, the university’s arts fest has been a mainstay in the cultural life of Johannesburg and surrounds.
The festival will showcase music, dance and theatre over 15 days. To kickstart the festival, Dikelo and Bongile will be performing some easy-listening, feel-good music for one day only. From the young to the young at heart, there will be plenty to cater for everyone.
Steve Newman and Ashish Joshi bring their blend of sounds to the festival and the pair will close the event on July 30. Before then, you can catch outstanding singer-songwriter, Samthing Soweto. He was part of the original line-up of multi award-winning a cappella group The Soil, before carving his own path as a solo artist.
He was recently one of the highlights of the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. Accompanied by a three-piece band, Samthing Soweto will be one of the must-see acts at this fest. He will be performing on July 20.
Over on the musical theatre side, Let There Be Music, which will be staged on July 25, showcases the talents of the Hoërskool Randburg Choir and the Majazi Ensemble. Expect to see quite a few genres explored as a way to tell an epic tale.
Presented by The Market Theatre Laboratory, a more serious production takes to the stage at Wits Theatre’s 969 Festival. Hani, which is all about Chris Hani’s life, is not to be missed.
It was inspired by Hamilton, about the life of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, which took US audiences by storm. According to a press release: “Hani is told through the contemporary song forms of hip hop, rap and ballad by a dynamic and energetic young cast.”
“Through this fresh form, we grapple with the gap Hani left behind, while feeling inspired by how we can use his legacy to move forward at a time when we face enormous political and social challenges. Leila Henriques directs this lively yet meaningful production, which was a 2017 Ovation winner at the National Arts Festival.”
There is plenty to see at the Wits Theatre’s 969 Festival and for a full breakdown of what’s on the programme, visit www.wits.ac.za/witstheatre .
* Wits Theatre’s 969 Festival runs from July 14 to 30. Tickets are available at Webtickets or the box office.