The Royal Arts Town Amphitheatre Summer 2022/23 season has been announced, with events starting in November and running until April 2023.
Featured on the menu is plenty of music, including the now traditional annual benefit concert by popular Valley musicians, the return of last season’s sold-out-performance opera company, South African popular and cutting edge musical icons, as well as drama, a children’s show and new works created through the For Life Centre in Riebeek West, under whose artistic banner the Royal Arts Town Amphitheatre (RATA) now falls.
The first four productions are:
DEREK & GUY IN RIEBEEK | Sunday 13 November | 7pm
Long-time friends, collaborators and leading exponents of the acoustic guitar, Derek Gripper and Guy Buttery (pictured above) return to the Valley with an exciting fusion of the written tradition of Western classical music and the oral tradition of the West African griots in a show which evokes everything positive and beautiful about the place they call home.
IMPENDULO BENEFIT CONCERT | Saturday 19 November | 6pm
Popular Valley musicians and entertainers, including the Valley All Stars, Ensemble Tropicale, Willson and the Echoes, Caro 3rd Grey, Azurdee, Valley Roses, Impendulo Dancers, Donker Jonker en Jorik come together for this sunset performance of music, dance and more.
Impendulo is a youth development initiative which seeks to provide an answer to the problem of young people falling into antisocial behaviours through lack of motivation, opportunity and activity. Their talent shows and sporting events in New Rest Valley, the new extension of Esterhof, are providing youth with fun and meaningful pastimes.
HOW TO HOLD THE WORLD | Friday 2 December | 7pm
This production is part of RATA’s Send a child to the Theatre programme. For only R70, one can give a local child a Christmas gift of theatre by sponsoring a ticket for them to attend the performance, followed by the official annual lighting of the tree on the village square where Father Christmas will be handing out treats.
The show features a young boy who is tasked with ‘holding the world’ as he faces the scary prospect of growing up. He learns that being alone doesn’t mean being strong, being helped doesn’t mean being selfish and bravery is about being open to imagination and friendship.
DOEP IS NIE DOOD NIE | Saturday 17 December | 8pm
Popular singer and composer Jannie du Toit has recorded more than 15 albums, his latest titled Vintage 2018 featuring his own songs, as well as works by other local and international artists. In 2021, Jannie celebrated 50 years in the music industry.
Doep is Nie Dood Nie is a reflection on Jannie’s long-standing, deep friendship with the late Koos du Plessis and features the formidable body of songs and other texts by the artist who is regarded by many as “the Bob Dylan of Afrikaans music”. Koos tragically died at a relatively young age over thirty years ago.
What: Royal Arts Town Amphitheatre Summer 2022/23
Where: Royal Hotel, 33 Main Street, Riebeek Kasteel
Information: 082 851 1262 / artoflifecentre@gmail.com
Book tickets: Call / WhatsApp 082 851 1262/082 570 3083
WS
