Good day Dear Readers.
Coming up is the Musho Festival. Looks like a wonderful line up of Theatre and
a Masterclass for Actors.
Catalina theatre, Wilson’s Wharf: 11 – 15 January
The Performing Arts Network of South Africa (PANSA) in KZN will be hosting the seventh Musho International Theatre Festival of One and Two Person Theatre, at the Catalina Theatre in Durban from 11 – 15 January 2012 featuring 16 productions over five days, all celebrating the art of the one and two-performer plays,
Musho – Zulu for an enthusiastic praise response, something similar to “Bravo!” - embraces all accepted forms of theatre: from mime to physical theatre, drama to comedy-theatre. It pays tribute to the smaller works featuring one and two performers.
After extensive research, PANSA realized that a festival early in the year staging more intimate theatrical productions is considered a useful and exciting start to the year by performers and audiences alike. Musho benefits the performers as staging their shows and collecting reviews early in the year helps them for future seasons of the production through the year. The audiences love seeing an array of fabulous theatre early in the year when calendars are quiet and when the festive flurry is over.
“The first six festivals held in January annually from 2006 were astonishingly inspiring and successful with some fabulous productions and amazing support,” says Musho Festival Director, Emma Durden.
These are intimate productions that showcase the skill of theatre performance and storytelling, as well as covering a wide range of styles, from drama to comedy and physical theatre.
This year’s festival line-up includes works by Dutch, South African and Indian performers, including the wonderful physical theatre show "Les Pigeons", the surfing spectacular "Bru", the tsotsi-story "Meet Bra Two-six" and the hit hip-hop show "Big Boys Don't Dance".
The festival includes six Twist Theatre Development Project shows written and directed by award-winning theatre-makers such as Zwai Mgigima, Amy Jephta, Themi Venturas, Jerry Pooe and Neil Coppen.
The festival is organised by PANSA KZN, the Performing Arts Network of South Africa, with support from The Daily News, Ethekwini Municipality, the KZN Department of Arts and Culture, Business and Arts South Africa and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
DATES AND TIMES:
The Musho Festival runs from Wednesday 11 January 2012 until Sunday 15 January 2012 at the Catalina Theatre on Wilson's Wharf in Durban.
Show times are 8 pm on week-days and 2pm, 4pm, 6pm and 8pm on weekends. The children's show is at 10 am on Saturday 14 January.
CONTACT DETAILS: For more details about the festival, you can visit the website on www.mushofestival.co.za or email kzn@pansa.org.za. For bookings, show times and details contact the Catalina Theatre on 031-3056889.
Programme
THE HORSESHOE (Drama)
The moving story of two young men who make the difficult decision to leave their families and go into exile. After the reach the border they realise that things are not what they seem and the struggle is almost over. When they return home, their paths diverge and while one man seems to fall into a life of luck, the other is left wondering what passed him by. "Passionate, energetic delivery of a poignant story" Cue.
Performed by Bheki Khabela and Bhekani Shablala, and created with Sduduzo Kawula. 55 minutes. Age 14 and up.
Wednesday 11 January, 8 pm
COMRADE BABBLE (Satire)
A political satire inspired by the rise and fall of Brett Kebble, a New South African randlord of mythic proportions, who proved to be one of our most formidable fraudsters, and orchestrated his own murder. The performance sees Kebble/Babble’s return from the dead in order to present the “truth” of his life.
Written and directed by Allan Kolski Horwitz. Performed by Renos Spanoudes and Lebohang Motaung. 80 minutes. Age 16 and up.
Thursday 12 January, 8 pm.
BIG BOYS DON'T DANCE (Dance/comedy)
An award-winning comedy play that takes the audience on a wild journey of stereotypical male behaviour and extraordinary, highly entertaining dance routines. This incongruous recipe makes for a unique and fantastic experience that the entire family will enjoy. Directed by Vanessa Harris and performed by Bradley Searle and Ash Searle. 60 minutes. All ages.
Friday 13 January, 6 pm.
MISTERO BUFFO (Satire/ physical theatre)
Andrew Buckland brings a wonderful adaptation of Nobel-Prize winner Dario FO’s controversial work, which combines the grotesque comedy of the Italian medieval performance traditions with razor-sharp contemporary satire. The play criticises the repressions of religious institutions and landowning classes throughout history.
Written by Dario Fo (translated by Ed Emery). Adapted and performed by Andrew Buckland. 60 minutes. Age 16 and up.
Friday 13 January, 8 pm
I-PUPPETi (Children’s theatre)
i-Puppeti is a comic show for primary and pre-primary children, with a vibrant use of the many different types of puppets, including sock, hand, stick, string, shadow and giant puppets. This story teaches children the valuable lessons of self-acceptance, friendship, and how anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
Written by Clinton Marius, performed by Pume Mthombeni and Shika Budhoo. 60 minutes. All ages.
Saturday 14 January. 10 am.
BRU (Physical theatre / comedy)
Bru takes the pursuit of happiness to the surreal levels of the extreme. Join two surfer dudes as they escape the purgatory of the concrete jungle of Jo’burg in search of the freedom of the waves. This fun romp is a high-energy physical theatre fusion with a pair of talented young actors.
Written and directed by written and directed by Josh Martin. Performed by Sandi Dlangala and Mikey Frederick von Bardeleben. 50 minutes. Age 12 and up.
Saturday 14 January, 6pm.
THE SLAP KOEJAWEL & OTHER TIT BITS (comedy)This absurdly funny and touching play brings two great actresses of stage and television together .The action finds two stressed-out actresses, of a certain age, in a tatty dressing room, preparing for the first preview of a new South African play... a work not without its problems! Can they pull it off without losing what's left of their marbles?
Created and performed by Annelisa Weiland and Vanessa Cooke. Directed by Robert Whitehead. 55 minutes. Age 16 and up.
Saturday 14 January, 8pm.
MEET BRO SIX-TWO (Drama)
A hard hitting play that gives insight in to the high rate of unemployment in South Africa. An energetic, intense and intimate physical performance. Written and Directed by the Samson M. Mlambo, and performed by Wiseman Mncube. Mentored by XXXX. 50 minutes. Age 16 and up.
Sunday 15 January, 2pm.
DANCING ON MY GRAVE (Drama)
A moving family drama with comic elements that deals with the themes of death, mourning and the role of family in peoples’ lives. This Dutch play comes fresh from winning best production and best actress awards at the Festival International de Théâtre in Morocco.
Created by Malou van Sluis and Denise Lukkenaer. Directed by Ferry Spigt.
Sunday 15 January, 4pm.
LES PIGEONS (Physical theatre / comedy)
This physical theatre piece takes a startling look into the underground world of ornithological communism, from within the minds of two in-patients. Wit and excellent comic timing characterise this interrogation into the uselessness of military interventions in times of change. Created and performed by Ryan Mayne and Tristan Jacobs. 45 minutes. Age 14 and up.
Sunday 15 January, 6pm. (Closing performance, followed by awards ceremony)
MUSHO WITH A TWIST
3 DOUBLE-BILLS FROM THE TWIST THEATRE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
TWIST 1: Saturday 15 January, 12pm
Life in Pictures (Drama)
A journalist uncovers a deadly secret that exposes a criminal gang-lord. His faithful henchman has no choice but to turn on the man who he thought was his protector.
Created by Uthando Lwabaqulusi with Bheki Mkhwane; based on an original script by Themba Mkhoma. 30 minutes. Ages 14 and up.
Township Life (Drama)
A vibrant song and dance performance that looks at life in the township of KwaMashu.
Created by the Ubuntubesizwe Theatre Group with Jerry Pooe; based on an original script by Ayanda Mkhize. 30 minutes. Ages 14 and up.
TWIST 2: Saturday 15 January, 2pm
Milk Factory (Drama)Lies, deception and dynamite: This is a tale of people adapting to a way of life that is not what they are used to. How do we deal with change when it is an unstoppable force?
Created by Emuhle All Artists with Bongani Baai and Debbie Lutge; based on an original script by Simphiwe Vikalahle. 30 minutes. Ages 14 and up.
A Bull Called Bhahlangane (Drama)
The story of brothers who come together for their father’s funeral. A tale of corruption, power and brotherly love, all focused around the father’s prize bull, Bhahlangane.
Created by Big Brotherhood productions with Neil Coppen and Edmund Mhlongo. 30 minutes. Ages 14 and up.
TWIST 3: Saturday 15 January, 4pm
Strokes of Society (Drama)
A moving tale of a father and daughter who is not his own child. This story brings together many of the tragic consequences of society’s anti-social behaviours including, rape, abuse, and HIV and AIDS.
Created by Siyakha Performing Artists with Themi Venturas; based on an original script by Zwai Mgigima. 30 minutes. Ages 14 and up.
Seed (Drama)
A father leaves his family to work in the city – he comes back with a strange fruit which his wife plants ... so that the whole family can feed from the tree. This allegorical tale explores the notion of migrant labour and HIV and AIDS. Created by Umsindo theatre Group and Vice Motshabi; based on an original script by Amy Jephta.
30 minutes. Ages 14 and up.
MASTERCLASS
Physical theatre performer Tristan Jacobs will conduct a master-class for actors on Monday 16 January from 9.30 am until 12.00 at The BAT centre. Free for PANSA members. R 30 for others. Bookings essential: on 031-2014750
All Musho Festival performances are at the Catalina Theatre: Contact 031-3056889
PRICES
All shows R 50 per ticket
PANSA paid-members special price R 30
OAPS and children under 12 R 30
Special all-day ticket on Saturday / Sunday - R 100 per day
For more information, and daily reviews, see the Musho website on www.mushofestival.co.za
Wish you and yours Happy Holidays and a wonderful 2012
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