South Africa Tour 2023

Now Kesivan’s arrangements will be taken on a Grand South African tour. Five big band concerts and 3-4 smaller shows will take place in South Africa in June/July 2023, at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda and in Cape Town. Before returning to Switzerland, the band will perform at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg on July 8. Our aim is to make the tour as sustainable as possible, both in terms of travelling (emissions) as well as future projects. To this end, the band will be in Makhanda for a week. During this time, the band members will not only play the Big Band concerts but also be involved with workshops and collaborations with other musicians. The Cape Town part of the tour features diverse venues to engage different audiences: one Big Band concert at the Star Theatre (Fugard), and 3-4 smaller band performances in various venues in Cape Town (such as the Blue Room, Openwine, The Athletic Club & Social etc). The mission is to make contacts and foster further projects to evolve out of these encounters. Another goal is to guarantee diversity not only in terms of origin (a mix of South African, Swiss, and German musicians), but also in terms of gender. We aimed to allocate a third or more of the positions in the band to women.

Mpume Mthombeni sets the stage ablaze in a breathtaking tour-de-force, shifting seamlessly between the feared assassin Impundulu and the reborn Gogo longing to return to the house she’s building in her childhood village, iPharadise. It is a performance that touches on what it means to live with, and through, political violence, the transition to democracy, the brutality of inequality, health epidemics like HIV/AIDS, patriarchy, and the apathetic bureaucracy of government departments.

The creative team have woven in elements of Zulu folklore, biblical mythology, magical-realist framings to make for an unforgettable theatrical experience that speaks to both the country’s haunted past and present-day complexities.

The production will have its Johannesburg premiere at the Market Theatre (Mannie Manim) from the 21 July to 6 August 2023 before it embarks on a month long European tour.

Isidlamlilo was made possible by the The National Art’s Festival (NAF) and later funding from the NAC PESP fund, with additional support and thanks to the Drama department and the UFC (Urban Futures Centre) at Durban University of Technology.

Running time: 100 minutes without interval.

PERFORMANCE TIMES

Saturday 10^th June at 15h00 and 19h00

Sunday 11^th June at 15h00

VENUE

Mannie Manim Theatre, Market Theatre

CREATIVE TEAM

Writer:                         Natalie Mitchell

Directors:   Devon Flemmer and Daniel Buckland

Costume designer:     Neka Da Costa

Set designer:              Chris Booyens

Lighting designer:       Barry Strydom

Cast:                           Thandiwe Witley, Angelina Hardwick, Senna Moreira, Liam Heaney, Kyle Makumbe, Julian Luiz, Daniel Wundram, Keila Becker, Mbalenhle Rose Malinga, Nonhle Mukomondo, Julia Leeming, Jacqui Lace, Julie Ann Hodgkinson, Lisa Hawthorne, Kwanda Nhlapo, Karen Kyandi, Dilara Yilmaz, Sophia Bullen, James Heaney

Presented by arrangement with DALRO

Javier Vercher, Afrika Mkhize and Ayanda Sikade is undoubtedly what we need most: they give us this ancient religion, not as superstitious bigotry, but as what binds us back together, a precious sense of human belonging, brotherhood and sisterhood.

The musicians not only play their instrument, they ARE the instrument itself; they are the sound, fully present in the now, generating pure joy and together they create a sound that seems to influence the universe. The Rainmakers make everything bloom. The band leader Bänz Oester and Javier Vercher (tenor sax) come from Europe, the pianist Afrika Mkhize and the drummer Ayanda Sikade are among the high-flyers from South Africa. The four of them form a sworn unit that cannot be divided by anything or anyone. In other words, we are dealing with a formation in which the individual class of all participants is not displayed in an egocentric manner but is transformed into collective energy. Oester, who has had a long-standing fascination with the extremely rich musical culture of Africa, puts it this way: “I want to communicate with the other musicians on an equal footing. This requires a certain attitude that does not tolerate hierarchical thinking. I’m all about breaking boundaries. I don’t dictate anything to anyone – the music is developed together.” Namely along a high-voltage line between north and south.

Bänz Oester & The Rainmakers will be performing in Johannesburg at the Market Theatre on the John Kani stage on Friday 7 July 2023 (7pm) and Sunday 9 July 2023 (3pm). Bookings through WebTickets.

www.rainmakers.info

jbo@rainmakers.info

The core of this piece is memory; rephrasing the notion of existence and the notion of simply existing in order to exist. This production takes a moment to pause; to look back; to rewind the tape to the days when the tapestry of South Africa was about the collision of biographies. A deliberate choice of less exposition and a bigger emphasis on how we use the visual element to tell this tale, while underpinning the musicality, that we hope will evoke the spirit of the time. Chief Maqoma to us is not only an iconic figure of Xhosa land, but a figure of historical transformation, the custodian of movement of a people that cleared the path to an emancipation that he spent his whole life advocating, fighting and yearning for.

Under the direction of James Ngcobo, Maqoma  choreographs Exit/Exist accompanied on stage by four South African singers and a guitarist Giuliano Modarelli, who all help facilitate the telling of the story through their harmonious vocals. The musical collaboration from Simphiwe Dana, Giuliano Modarelli and IComplete carries Gregory through this solo performance. David Tlale designs costume into masterpieces of arts which edifies the narration of the story Maqoma is telling.

“The return of Exit/Exist at the Market Theatre where it was first premiered in 2012 is not only befitting to the extraordinary journey I have taken so far, but marks 150 years since the passing of my ancestor, Chief Maqoma. The issue of land, that is emphasised in the work, is a trail of human misery and degradation, loss and hope.” shares Maqoma.

As he retires from dancing, Maqoma believes his legacy is one of telling ground-breaking stories as a way of social commentary contributing to South Africa’s narrative and proudly the world over. It has been fifty years of firsts, fifty years of learning, fifty years of anguish and frustration, but most importantly it has been fifty years of Gregory Vuyani Maqoma being alive.

Exit/Exist’s return to Johannesburg and Makhanda is in association with The Market Theatre, National Arts Festival, The Department of Sports Arts and Culture produced by Vuyani Dance Theatre.

The dazzling cast line-up is: Rob van Vuuren (Curse of the Starving Class, Endgame)  as Anton; Kate Normington (Tali’s Baby Diaries, Storm in a B-Cup) as Ma and Maman; Frank Opperman (Ouboet and Wors, Toutjies en Ferreira) as Pa/Rabbi/Moti; Chuma Sopotela (Standard Bank Young Artist, Karoo Moose) as Salome; Cintaine Schutte (Die Seemeeu, Fynskrif, Tien Duisend Ton) as Tannie Marina/Desiree; Jenny Stead (The Glass Menagerie, Elesin Oba) as Astrid; Albert Pretorius (Die Seemeeu, Nêrens, Noord-Kaap, Tien Duisend Ton) as Dominee Simms/ Ockie/ Dean/ Jake/ Father Batty; Sanda Shandu (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Unlikely Secret Agent) as Lukas/Bob/Politician and Jane de Wet (Spoorloos, The Watch) as Amor.

The dream creative team is completed with Sound Design and Original Music Composition by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder (King Kong);  Set and Lighting Design by Josh Lindberg (Cruise); Costume Design by Penny Simpson (The Producers) and Choreography by Natalie Fisher (Free Flight Dance Company).

In a discussion process spanning almost two years, Galgut and Strike identified a visual language through which this seminal family drama unfolds, supported by a uniquely chorus-driven narration.

Director Sylvaine Strike says, “Funny, confrontational and powerful, this production gives the novel a whole new life. It will speak to audiences in the most intimate way possible.” She adds, “It’s been an honor to work with the script penned by Damon, which harnesses his novel in all its beauty, humour and devastation. He is a master storyteller, writing remarkable prose with a profoundly complex understanding of human relationships.”

Greg Homann, the Artistic Director of the iconic Market Theatre, adds, “Having Damon Galgut’s compelling story on stage at the Market Theatre immediately after its world premiere in Cape Town is simply wonderful for our audience. We are thrilled to be partnering on the production, and to welcome Sylvaine and the exceptional cast and creative team to Johannesburg for this theatrical telling of one of the most celebrated novels of our time.”

“I am a great fan of Sylvaine’s work,” Galgut comments. “The detailed physical transformations, vivid imagery, pathos and hilarity of her productions remain in audience’s hearts long after a show has ended.  Her directorial signature, seen in her work on productions such as Beckett’s Endgame, Firefly, Molière’s Tartuffe, and Sam Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class, draws on the poetry of the performer’s body as primary story teller. She is the perfect director to bring The Promise to life on stage!’

Galgut was awarded the prestigious Booker Prize for THE PROMISE in 2021. It is only the third time a South African writer has been given that honor.

The story: On a small farm outside Pretoria, the Swart family – “a typical bunch of white South Africans” – tries to hold itself together through the violent lurches of recent history. They have promised to give a small piece of land with a tiny house on it to Salome, the Sotho woman who has worked for them her whole life. A worthless property, but still, they will not give it up.

Are they cursed, or just unlucky? One by one, members of the family die, while everything around them changes and they try to stay the same. Only two siblings will eventually be left, facing each other over a great divide: Anton, the tormented older brother, and Amor, his strange younger sister.

Book now to ensure you don’t miss one of the must-see cultural events of the year!

To make block bookings and for discounts please contact Anthony Ezeoke 011 832 1641ext 203/ 083 246 4950

For further information, interviews and images, contact:

Brand and Communications Manager: Lusanda Zokufa 072 367 7867 or lusandaz@markettheatre.co.za

Join the conversation on social media:

#thepromiseonstage

Facebook: The Promise On Stage

Instagram: @thepromiseonstage

ENDS

What is it to be made feel strange, in a strange place whilst feeling strange within yourself. This is then to posit that queerness is an experience of strangeness to those that don’t understand it and systematically plays itself out via violent acts of displacement, dislocation and the persistent pursuit of borders. This festival aims to be a container of difference and multiplicities – specifically queer identities, migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, and locals – moreover a place of celebration of said diverse communities through artistic explorations and presentation.

One lucky finalist will be selected from the showcase and get the opportunity for an all expenses paid trip to the 2023 Poetry Africa Festival hosted by UKZN and the Centre for Creative Arts.

Event details:

Poetry Africa Open Call

Date: 6 May 2023

Venue: Kippies Theatre, Market Theatre Precinct

Time: 10am

Theme: Centralising Place, Person and Language in the realm of Queer.

The competition is open to participants between the ages of 18-35 and must reside in the Gauteng province. Full details and rules can be found on our website at marketartscentre.co.za

Competition rules:

• Entrants for the open call on the 6th of May 2023 are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the event for registration purposes
• Poets are welcome to interpret the theme as broadly and openly to their understanding
• Poetry performed on stage should be the original work written and performed by the poet.
• Poets are allowed to present work written in any of the official South African languages
• 20 poets will be selected for a two day workshop to take place on the 18^th and 19^th of May, the selected poets need to ensure that they are available on said day
• The chosen 20 poets will participate in a showcase on the 20^th of May, where one winner will be selected to participate in the main event in October 2023, taking place in Durban.
• The judges will select one winner from the finalists who will be invited to perform at the Poetry Africa festival in October. The Poetry Africa festival will cover travel, accommodation and per diem costs as well as pay the poet a performance fee
• Poets will be judged on the below criteria:

Quality of the poem

Relevance to the theme

Style and impact of delivery of the poem

Originality of the work.

• Registration will begin at 8:30am on the 6^th of May 2023
• All poets will be called up to perform following the registration list.

Background

The African Jazz Pioneers celebrate their 40^th Anniversary as a group in 2023 and have provided the musical tapestry for the South African liberation movement over the last forty years.

The late Ntemi Piliso, leader and founding member, nourished the group from their humble roots to their current international acclaim. In the early 1950s, Ntemi and his “Alexandra All-Star Band” were at the cutting edge of South Africa’s proud music scene, blending American urban big band style with traditional Majuba and Marabi music influences. It seems incredible that the background to the African Jazz Pioneers stretches way back to the fifties when jazz was in fashion and big bands were the name of the game – and Sophiatown and Dorkay House were well-known melting pots of colour and culture.

After the easing of the cultural boycott in 1990, the African Jazz Pioneers were among the first to travel abroad, headlining jazz venues, festivals and concerts in Europe, Australia, Japan and Africa. They shared the stage with artists like global stars such as Youssou N’Dour, Quincy Jones, Manhattan Transfer, The Neville Brothers, Chick Corea, Gilberto Gil, Salif Keita, Nina Simone and Rita and Ziggy Marley.

Led by Mpho Sithole, the current Pioneers line-up includes some of the original veterans together with a rhythm section of fresh young talents who are learning from the masters but incorporating their own influences into the Pioneers’ unique sound.

It is true to say that the group has reached everybody in South Africa, from hipsters to liberation movements.  

The original Mahotella Queens were formed in 1964 and are noted by their distinct vocal harmony sound, guitar-led mbaqanga music, and fast stage dancing.

With Hilda Tloubatla an ever-present member from the very beginning, the Queens remained productive and popular into the 1970s and 1980s with a revolving cast often led by the deep-voiced male vocals of Simon ‘Mahlathini’ Nkabinde. In combination with the late Mahlathini, renowned for his deep and “groaning” vocals, the group forged a successful international touring career that lasts to this day.

The Mahotella Queens are prolific recording artists, dating back to the hundreds of recordings produced at Gallo-Mavuthela during their heyday in the 1960s and 1970s. The Queens remained with Gallo until 2005 when they joined Content Connect Africa, an independent company led by former Gallo director Antos Stella.

During the mid-1980s, a stream of Western musical projects including the seminal compilation The Indestructible Beat of Soweto and Paul Simon’s Graceland album led to the Queens performing in France at the Musique Metisse Festival in Angouleme, Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday at London’s Wembley Stadium and at many of Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD festivals around the world.

The current line-up consists of the legendary Hilda Tloubatla together with Amanda Nkosi and Nonku Maseko, both from Springs on the East Rand.

For any media enquiries please contact: Acting Brand and Communications Manager:

Lusanda Zokufa 072 367 7867 or lusandaz@markettheatre.co.za