This year’s Cape Town Fringe, which runs from 21 September to 8 October, is “staying relevant by going local”, according to executive producer Ashraf Johaardien. It will feature a revised format and fresh new focus.
14 performance spaces
This year sees organisers working hand in hand with independent theatres across the city to present a programme that is innovative and inspired. Expanding to 14 performance spaces in the Cape Town metropolitan area, the Fringe will put theatre at the centre of the Cape’s communities. Venues include The Makukhanye Art Room in Khayelitsha, Zolani Centre in Nyanga, the CBD’s Alexander Bar and Little Theatre, Theatre Arts Admin in Woodstock, the Delft Black Box and Alma Café in Rondebosch.
World Fringe Alliance
The Cape Town Fringe, the newest member of the World Fringe Alliance, received a record 268 submissions, of which a third have been matched to venues and will be presented as 80 productions throughout the three-week festival across theatre, dance, music, comedy, illusion with a range of genre-busting works in between. The programme, which runs during the school holidays, also includes family theatre.
Johaardien says the Fringe has evolved a ‘hyper local’ model that has given rise to new partnerships. “We’ve spent a lot of time listening to the arts community and have developed a collaborative approach to programming the Fringe that manages to keep the programme fresh and exciting while also creating opportunities to view our world through a lens of authenticity,” he adds.
“There is a huge appetite for theatre in Cape Town and there are lots of producers, artists and venue owners and administrators who are working hard to create work and spaces for it. By its very nature, fringe theatre is edgy, independent and groundbreaking. In working with these small theatres this year, we feel the fringe concept is truly being realised.’
Busker’s Festival
Johaardien points out that the new model offsets the loss of the iconic City Hall, currently undergoing renovation work, as a Fringe Hub. “While we’ll be sad not to be using the City Hall, the change has challenged us to rethink where we put the centre of gravity of the Fringe. What we’ve put in place gives us multiple access points, making the Cape Town Fringe accessible to a far broader range of communities than before.”
The Fringe also includes the Cape Town Busker’s Festival. Taking place daily at the V&A Waterfront from 5 to 8 October, the line-up sees local and international street performers working the hat with highly physical and entertaining acts.
Fringe venues:
Makukhanye Art Room in Khayelitsha
Alma Café in Rosebank
Jolly Carp in Retreat
Fringe Club at the German Club in Gardens
Theatre Arts Admin Collective in Observatory
iThemba Labantu in Philippi
Zolani Sport and Recreation Centre in Nyanga
Alexander Bar in Cape Town City
Little Theatre, Arena Theatre
P4 Studio, Bindery Lab at Hiddingh Campus, Orange St
Black Box Theatre in Delft South
AFDA in Observatory
What: Cape Town Fringe
When: 21 September – 8 October 2017
Programme: www.capetownfringe.co.za
Tickets: www.capetownfringe.co.za or APP (iOS and Android) and door
Social media: Cape Town Fringe #CTFringe17, Twitter @CTFringe, www.Facebook.com/capetownfringe, Instagram @ctfringe
Cape Town Buskers Fest: #CTbuskers17, Twitter on @CTbuskersfest
www.facebook.com/ctbuskersfest, Instagram @ctbuskersfest
WS
