US WOORDFEES 2018 is a celebration of the Afrikaans word – written and spoken and the festival incorporates music concerts, stand up comedy and all kinds of panel discussions.
On the theatre side though, it’s the place for experimenting with form and story. This year there are several newcomers and experienced theatre makers trying out all sorts of things. The full programme is available at woordfees.co.za and the festival takes place from March 2 to 11. THERESA SMITH takes a look at US WOORDFEES 2018 highlights:
* On the experienced side Marthinus Basson directs Antoinette Kellermann, Tinarie van Wyk Loots, Stian Bam en Edwin van der Walt in a new take on Reza de Wet’s Asem, a tale of love during a time of destruction.
* The Loft Puppet Company debuts a new multidimensional musical production with puppetry and song, Beloofde Land/Promised Land. They team up with the Abonwabisi Brothers and London based producer Oliver James Hymans to tell the story of asylum seekers who brave the elements in search of safe haven only to find that no one wants them.
* Louis Viljoen’s adaptation of Nikolaj Gogol’s Diary of a Madman, Dangled, starring Rob van Vuuren, is a dark, psycho sexual comedy that has won the 2016 Standard Bank Silver Ovation Award, the Audience Choice Award at the 2016 Cape Town Fringe and the Pebble Trust International Touring Bursary to the Brighton Fringe in 2017.
* Jason Jakobs’ Dans van die Watermeid explores that space where urban myth meets dark reality as the unsettling production gets a second stage outing.
* Lara Bye directs Gideon Lombard in Mark Behr’s Die Reuk van Appels, which won best actor at KKNK last year and best actor and director at Aardklop. The powerful yet sensitive story about what it means to be a man is well worth checking out.
* Tara Notcutt’s directs Cintaine Schutte as Victoria, a woman sitting in a bar recounting her experience of attending her boss’ bachelorette party in Half Leeg.
* Phillip Rademeyer brings two very different plays to the Woordfees stage. In Klippe wat Val he directs Wilhelm van der Walt, Dean John Smith en Gideon Lombard for a story about a young man who is hiding out on a farm, but cannot hide from the bonds of friendship or family.
* Monsieur Ibrahim en die Blomme van die Koran is a one man show with David Minnaar, set in Paris’ Jewish Quarter in 1960.
* The duo who created the celebrated Rooiland, writer Tertius Kapp and director Jaco Bouwer, return to the stage with a new production, Liewer – starring Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Brendon Daniels, Wilhelm van der Walt en Tarryn Wyngaard. This new play functions as a sort of conversation with Patrick Marber’s Closer.
* Sandra Prinsloo returns to the world of solo stage work with writer/director Nico Scheeper’s Moedertaal. Her brilliant take on Die Naaimasjien and Oskar en die Pienk Tannie bodes well.
What: Stellenbosch US WOORDFEES 2018 Program
US WOORDFEES 2018 dates datums: March 2 to 11, 2018
WOORDFEES 2018 kaartjies tickets: http://bit.ly/2HPopDM
US WOORDFEES 2018 Programme PDF download: woordfees.co.za
Cover Pic: Tinarie van Wyk Loots in Asem. Picture: Hans van der Merwe
WS
