The National Arts Festival celebrates 50 years

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On its website, the National Arts Festival (NAF) proclaimed: “In 2024, the National Arts Festival marks 50 amazing years of providing a platform for experimentation, protest, collaboration, celebration and expression.” To ordinary people like me, it has always provided an opportunity to see a wide variety of shows and mind-blowing art and an opportunity to mingle. This year was no different, and it was good to see more people and more shows than we have since the lockdown.

The lockdowns hit the arts badly. There was the immediate impact of not being able to work, but the arts have since also had to compete with the ever-increasing number of streaming platforms. During the lockdown, the festival gamely went digital as well, but nothing beats the thrill of entering a venue, experiencing the darkness of houselights being dimmed, and then ….

In the Monument Building

This year, it was good to be frustrated again by a bumper programme – realising that I’d never be able to see everything I wanted to. The curated programme at the National Arts Festival provides a guarantee of top-class performances, and these acts are hand-picked. The fringe is where one picks up diamonds – and the odd dud. I always do my best to make a choice from both – to see some of the top productions, and then risk some lesser-known ones.

Entering Makhanda

Those of us who remember the “Grahamstown Arts Festival” of decades ago, still chat about shows starting in the early morning, with students and “oldies” sipping glühwein dispensed into Foamalite mugs from backpacks usually reserved for spraying pesticides.

I am one of the oldies now. As I enter Makhanda, the buzz still draws me in.

Welcome!

It started with an enormous banner welcoming us all.

Freedom!

Underneath that was the plaque celebrating our country’s transition to democracy, with the four large stones standing guard next to it.

The four stones

The 1820 Settlers Monument, with all its colonial baggage, still stands tall and welcoming – a large ship permanently moored to a hill, wishing revellers to travel into spaces of fun, confrontation and wonder.

Mattering: 50 years of the festival

In the monument was an exhibition called Mattering: 50 years of the festival, where each of the five decades was showcased behind lace curtains. The artworks and the texts written about them told a story not only of the festival, but of our country as well.

Much has been written about water shortages and potholes in Makhanda, but as one descends into town from the monument, the view is lovely and vibrant. The feel is more African now than it might have been 30 years ago, but that is not bad.

Should you be one of those who have never been to a National Arts Festival, do please try. Should you be one of the oldies now, reminiscing about those days filled with hormones and illicit substances, please try again.

Remembering Can Themba

Siphiwo Mahala

Can Themba was born on 21 June 1924. One hundred years later, on 21 June 2024, the National Arts Festival joined hands with Amazwi South African Museum of Literature to celebrate his life. The world premiere of Can Temba: The teacher in the newsroom took place after a very brief introduction by executive producer Siphiwo Mahala.

A still from the movie

Themba was a journalist, writer and educator. The movie looked at the many aspects of his life, with in-depth interviews with people who knew him. It covered his life in Sophiatown and the years he spent working for Drum. His ability to teach younger journalists was highlighted, as in the title of the movie, which took more than ten years to make.

Anne Themba, Can’s wife, was one of the interviewees. Other well-known names included Ahmed Kathrada, Don Mattera, Jürgen Schadeberg, Keorapetse Kgositsile, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Lindiwe Mabuza, Nadine Gordimer, Njabulo Ndebele and Peter Magubane.

Morongwa Themba

Themba’s daughter, Morongwa, was in the audience at the premiere. She praised the movie.

Cutting the cake

Afterwards, attendees were invited to a light lunch. Morongwa Themba made a short speech, and then cut a birthday cake in memory of her father. An hour later, The suit, a play written by Can Themba, Mothobi Mutloatse and Barney Simon, was performed. It is based on a short story with the same name, written by Themba.

Matilda (Didintle Khunou) and Philemon (Sello Maake kaNcube)

The suit premiered 30 years ago in Grahamstown during the festival, with Sello Maake kaNcube in the lead role. It was the last play Barney Simon directed. Now, 30 years later, Maake kaNcube was back in the lead role. This time, Mahlatsi Mokgonyana and Billy Langa directed the show.

Maake kaNcube and Lebohang Motaung

The play is about Philemon (Maake kaNcube) and Matilda (Didintle Khunou), who live in Sophiatown. Philemon dotes on his beautiful young wife, but she feels trapped. She used to be a singer, but Philemon does not want other men’s eyes on her.

Khunou and Alex Sono

A former love interest (Alex Sono) arrives and asks her to sing in the band he is playing in. She cannot, but they start an affair. A friend (Lebohang Motaung) shares the gossip with Philemon. He finds the lovers in bed. The young man flees in his underwear, leaving his suit behind.

Walking with the suit

Philemon’s revenge is to be extremely polite to the suit. He even insists that Matilda places food on the table for the suit and feed it. Then he suggests that they go walking through Sophiatown with the suit. Now all eyes are on his wife. Finally, when she wants to throw a party, Philemon encourages her to, but then, while her friends are there, he again insists that she entertain the suit. She dies of a broken heart.

Music

Mandisi Dyantyis

Mandisi Dyantyis, born in the Eastern Cape, must be one of South Africa’s hottest musicians at present. He frequently sells out large venues, and he was one of the headline acts on the curated festival programme. Dyantyis is a classically trained musician who now blends gospel, jazz and classical music in a unique, cross-over sound. The massive Guy Butler Theatre was packed. The audience danced and sang along with the music. It was an exhilarating performance. Dyantyis kept us going for nearly two hours.

Dyantyis on trumpet

He is a balladeer, singing love songs mixed with gospel and social commentary. His style and compositions are rich and complex. Dyantyis is the lead vocalist, and he plays the trumpet as well.

Dyantyis with Lonwabo Mafani, Khonco Thwalo and Siya Kawana

Lonwabo Mafani accompanied him on piano. Khonco Thwalo and Siya Kawana were his backing vocals.

Stephen de Souza

Stephen de Souza thumbed the double bass and provided backing vocals.

Sisonke Xonti

Sisonke Xonti played the saxophone.

Kevin Gibson

Kevin Gibson made merry on the drums.

PentaFusion

Quite differently, but equally enjoyable, was PentaFusion’s show, A musician’s guide to the galaxy. Staged in the Beethoven Room of the Rhodes music department, they too packed the (much smaller) venue. This was a fringe show, but it lacked no quality. I had seen their debut in 2022. It was lovely. They won a Standard Bank Bronze Ovation Award for their performance. The programme notes read:

PentaFusion was founded in 2022, bringing together renowned and emerging musicians from Gqeberha and Makhanda. They seamlessly merge jazz and classical music, crafting an extraordinary experience that captivates audiences of both genres. Furthermore, PentaFusion’s unique sound allows the ensemble to stand out from other jazz and classical artists, making their music even more attractive to different audiences.

Stacey van Schalkwyk

The look was steam punk. Stacey van Schalkwyk is their director. She played the flute and composed a number of the songs.

Virgil Matrass

Virgil Matrass also composed some of the songs. He played the lovely Bösendorfer and the keyboard.

Nhlanhla Xipu

Nhlanhla Xipu played the violin.

Yashin Naidoo

Yashin Naidoo played the bass.

Pete Glover

Pete Glover was on drums.

Sithetha isiXhosa, kulungile?

We saw two shows that were done in Xhosa. Mandisi Dyantyis sang in Xhosa only. When he addressed the audience, he spoke Xhosa at well. At one stage, he said in English: “If you do not understand me, ask the person next to you.”

Strong women in Magcam

Magcam, pronounced ma-(click)-am from what I heard, told the story of African migrations and the impact that they had on women, as each time the role of the matriarch was diminished by men leading a charge. The programme notes read: “Apho incubeko nemveli zamanina zikhoyo, kanye la aalityalwayo.” Loosely translated, it would mean that mothers look after tradition and decency, and these are forgotten when mothers are bypassed.

In the foyer

The play was written and directed by Oliver Bonga, who hails from the Eastern Cape. She now lives in Bloemfontein. She credits Credo Mutwa for some of the ideas, while the University of the Free State and the Pacofs Theatre also get production credits. Lelethu Tshangela, Sara-Leen Chalale, Rondo Mpiti and Boitumelo Mohutsioa carried the show, which started in the foyer. There, already, the audience was addressed, confronted even. They chased us into the theatre.

On stage

At the end, the actors actively chased the audience out again. Only then, when everyone was out, did the actors break out of character and happily engage with the audience, posing for selfies.

An immersive experience

Even though the words were hard to follow for ears like mine, the experience was immersive. A large part of the audience were school children, and it was wonderful to see how they enjoyed Xhosa being spoken on the stage.

On that note. I missed Cursed, a show written by Nokwandu Mnyandu and directed by Thamsanqa Khumalo. It is a pity, because Khumalo brings wonderfully complex and multilingual plays to the National Arts Festival. This year, I just simply could not make my schedule work. But I do suggest that you try and catch Cursed, were it to play near you.

Art

One needs time to see everything at the National Arts Festival. The art exhibitions are free to enter and are worth exploring.

From Wegwysers deur die blinkuur

Stephanie Edith Conradie’s show, Wegwysers deur die blinkuur, explored the relative value of family heirlooms when a parent passes away. What happens during the blinkuur (the shiny hour), that moment when we approach death?

Intricate and complex

The works are intricate and complex. The assistant at the door quickly suggested that I remove my camera backpack before entering – she kept it for me.

The abyssal zone

Christine Dixie’s installation, The abyssal zone, explored the relation of human interaction with undersea creatures.

What about the creatures who are losing their habitat?

For hundreds of years, we loaded dangerous items on ships. Some sank while carrying poison that could kill an ecosystem close to the wreckage. Today, we mine the sea for minerals like those for batteries in electric vehicles. It is good for us living on land, but what about the creatures who are losing their habitat? The Round Theatre’s floor was covered in sand, and visitors were encouraged to remove their shoes. I certainly did!

Art from the Constitutional Court

Throughout the monument, various artworks belonging to the Constitutional Court were on display to celebrate 30 years of democracy.

land/lines

In the Atherstone Room of the monument was an exhibition called land/lines, curated by Jonathan van der Walt and Uthando Baduza. The other half of this exhibition was in the Bird Street Gallery in Gqeberha.

Sikhumbuzo Makandula's installation Part of history in the Atherstone Room, part of land/lines

The programme notes read:

The Eastern Cape is a uniquely rich socio-historical site of indescribable cultural conflict, migration, dispossession and resistance. It is a living land that has breathed life into rituals and bled for beliefs. It is a land thrashed by a myriad of physical, metaphorical and spiritual “lines” separating people from the land, oppression from resistance, myths from truths, believers from unbelievers and histories from futures.

In conversation: Four decades of artworks by current and former staff of the Rhodes Fine Arts Department

Lower down, in the building of the School of Fine Arts, one could see In conversation: Four decades of artworks by current and former staff of the Rhodes Fine Arts Department. The show was curated by Dominic Thorburn, Maureen de Jager and Robyn Munnick.

iZandi zemilambo yabo kuthi

In a side room was an installation in near darkness. My camera made it look a lot lighter than it was. The title was iZandi zemilambo yabo kuthi, which translates to “The sound of their rivers in us”. Curated by Mandla Mbothwe and Sikhumbuzo Makandula, the installation paid tribute to numerous artists, filmmakers, actors, dancers and musicians who have passed away in the past four years.

Snelihle Maphumulo

In another side venue, senior students exhibited their work. Over the years, one gets to see interesting student art. One of the artists who had also exhibited her work in 2023 was Snelihle Maphumulo. She was back in 2024, investigating the tension in Zulu culture between wanting to remain true to traditional values, and at the same time questioning which of those values are still valid.

An ear stitched to sheepskin

This year, she created moulds of the ears of numerous women who are valuable to her. She then cast the ears in wax and stitched them to sheepskin.

Food for thought

It was impossible to see everything. The NAF is big. It is equally impossible to do justice to everything one does see. Two very simple, yet poignant pieces deserve mention, though.

Aldo Brincat’s play, The moon looks delicious from here, was 70 minutes long. It was him and him alone on an empty stage. His only prop was a set of Chinese linking rings with which he did all sorts of tricks. He even used the rings to indicate characters at the start of the play. It was like listening to an audio book.

The moon looks delicious from here was a poignant tale about the marginalised, be they immigrants to South Africa, black people, working class whites or members of the LBGTQI+ community.

Carin Bester counting

Carin Bester’s extremely simple durational performance was striking, because it was so simple. She sat there counting beans in the Sun Gallery of the Monument Building. That was it. Just that.

Why?

In her press statement Bester said 2 566 million households experienced hunger in 2023. That translated to about 9 325 million people.

She counted 25 660 beans each day.

The press release read:

Yet, studies have shown that globally enough food is produced to feed 1,5 x the world population. In South Africa enough food is produced to feed all its people, yet food poverty at household level is widening. High unemployment, the ongoing energy crises and the constant increase of food prices are only some of the reasons we have food insecurity in South Africa.

The question we must ask ourselves not just in South Africa but around the world is, why so many people are going hungry while others waste food?

That was why she created Hunger Count. That was why she counted 25 660 beans each day. That number is 1% of the 2,566 million households going hungry.

Family fun

In one of the tents

On the Village Green were large tents with all sorts of items on sale. There were numerous food stalls as well.

A free show

There, in the public arena, one got to see artists performing for free and clowns were around.

A tall person

Some pretty impressive stilt walkers handed out flyers for their performance.

Take a seat.

Standard Bank, a long-term sponsor of the National Arts Festival, created opportunities for young and old to breathe for a moment. In one area, a tree was set up with headphones one could use for some music. In another area, kids were entertained with face painting and similar activities.

Bring the kids.

The festival has aged well. Bring the kids; make sure that they will be oldies looking back on their youthful escapes when the centenary is celebrated. I will no longer be around, but there is talent enough to make the National Arts Festival fun and relevant for future generations.

See also:

The Schreiner Karoo Writers Festival 2024

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