So I am seriously thinking of going to the Grahamstown festival for about three days this year. I was thinking of going smack bang in the middle, to try and catch some stuff from both ends of the fest. I want to see as much as I possibly can, and I want to write about everything here, on meganshead. I really believe that I am a good, if not very opinionated voice, and I am sure I can add an important critical alternative to the more traditional review writing that happens at the festival. So, that’s my plan, but I know I’m not going to be able to afford the five shows a day I’d like to see. I was thinking though, that there are always press tickets (and many of them go under utilised, or unissued) and I was wondering how to get my hands on these. Does anyone know? Are you taking a production to the festival that you would like me to see and write about? Do you have press tickets or comps for me to get my grubby little hands on? Do you have a connection in the press office? PLease let me know.
Tag: Grahamstown (Page 3 of 3)
Crazy Grahamstown Festival Idea
AWOL from G’town
It’s blatantly obvious that I’m not in Grahamstown this year, and I can’t say I’m too sorry. It always seemed like a bit of a stretch doing 17 days of (oh dear theatre gods please let it be) “amazing”. And from what it sounds like, opening on a Sunday is a bit like smoking in the shower; a bad idea, not worth the effort. But the one thing about those at the fest is their eternal optimism and hope that it will get better, coupled with the hit-or-miss possibility that you might have an unexplainable success on your hands! But my dear friend Simon Cooper is there, flying the flag, and he is going to be high-jacking meganshead for as long as I let him, with his thoughts and feelings about the Grahamstown fest of twentyten.
Here are his first impressions.
Thoughts of a  festino/producer :
Grahamstown 2010! The first 2 days are  done. Not a lot of people around as yet. There is a  growing view that perhaps the decision to start on a sunday was not good. But there is something of a buzz about. Hope it  grows.
My play, “London Road” [Robyn Scott and Ntombi Makhutshi –  directed by Lara Bye – Princess Alice daily at 12h00], performed at 12h00  Sunday for the first time at the fest – about 20 people but a great  reception.  Monday saw the audience treble and a winner of a review in  the cue 50 words section – “seldom is such theatrical brilliance seen on the  fringe”.   Triple yah.   Cue is playing ball so far  – yesterday they followed Robyn as she transforms from a 37 year old to a 75  year old and we hoping for a splash in cue today or  tomorrow.
Saw “Backstory” – a new piece by dancer and  physical theatre guy, Craig Norris and Barry Strydom. Not  bad but needs serious work and again raises the question of whether  performers should be allowed to bring work to the fest that is not  quite performance ready and run it in?  “Backstory” is based around  the theory of evolution and takes the from of a lecture to an erudite  academic body.   Barry Strydom, the guy who plays the prof  delivering the lecture, should be replaced – he plays as if he is a little  boy being clever – he’s trying to be the hyper-intelligent but naive  academic but no he is puerile.   He does however give Craig the  scope to play around with man’s development and learning process.
Also  saw an older piece that i had not seen before, Sharleen Surtie-Richards’  “Shirley Valentyn” – standing ovation.  I loved it but then I love that  local cape humour which is used so effectively in this translated  performance.
Woke up monday feeling tired already but a  cup of coffee later and that indomnitable festino sprit coursed thru my  veins and i am ready to face the next day of shows.   First up was  “Skrapnel” [written by Willem Anker, featuring Marcel van Heerden,  Andrew Thompson and Jenine Groenewald, directed by Jaco Bouwer].    This play got a huge write up in cue on monday but left me and I think most  of the audience wondering what it was about.   Very wordy, very  long, very boring.
Then Craig Morris again  with “Blood Orange” – physical theatre, well performed and entertaining but  it tells of a white boy growing up in pre 1994 south africa and one is left  with the feeling of “oh boy – not again”.   Greig Coetzee’s “white  men with weapons” springs to mind.   Lastly another Afrikaans  piece badly attended – this is bad : the organisers are trying hard to  attract more Afrikaans theatre to what is primarily an English language  event and people don’t go.   18 + 2 performers + 5 photographers  in a theatre holding 277.   Nee wat mense !!!   “Dinsdae  by Morrie” [Chris van Niekerk & Pedro Kruger : translated and directed  by Hennie van Greunen] is a great piece concenring the relationship between  a student and “that” teacher [prof actually] who changes your  life.   Gently humourous, attractive and quite  insightful.   Well worth seeing and I hope more people  do.
The thrid day dawns – too  much red wine last night with old friend. Koffie en courage – we  hit the well travlled road to Grahamstown.
I’m not feeling jealous yet!
Summing up, winding down, speeding off
I have tons on my mind at the moment, and I’m feeling just like the blue arsed fly. It’s been a whirlwind of world cup fever (did anyone else notice the not so fantastic lip sync mess of the gorgeous Angelique Kidjo?), last minute TheatreSports performances, the handing in of proposals for a project next year, a bout of a tummy bug, still biting my nails to hear about whether The Tent will be accepted onto the Grahamstown main festival next year, and getting ready to go overseas!!!! I am accompanying my friend and 12 of her 17 year old students on their art and kulcha tour of France and Italy!
I have only been to Holland and Germany in Europe, for work, so a visit to Paris, Venice, Florence and Rome, with a transit in Istanbul is making me very excited and happy. And nervous! It has been 4 degrees in Rome these last couple of days. The idea of a pre-Christmas Europe is thrilling. I am imagining the train journey through the snowy landscape, the Venice Christmas night market, the small ice rink on the first floor of the Eiffel tower, the icy fountains in Rome.
I need a dollop of kulcha. I need to look at really old buildings, listen to old language, see gorgeous old art and walk really old streets. And I’ll be doing it all through the eyes of the young and fresh.
I hope my jacket is warm enough!
It’s been a crazy week, and I don’t have that comforting feeling that it’s the weekend and I can kick back and relax. I think it is pretty much going to get more hectic, right up until I leave for Grahamstown. No, it will be hectic then too. Ok, until I get back from G’town. No, that will bring me straight into pre-opening of Noah. Sheesh. Buckle up.
This week has been full of putting out Noah fires. Yes, even in the coldest, wettest weather. On Monday the Noah set arrived in our old venue (The Curved Space in Woodstock) and it was too big to be worked on. Simon found a new space and we moved the monster set and all the sound to Wet Pups (Western Province Preparatory School) where we are using the hall. Luckily it’s school holidays. We also realised that we needed a stage manager. Don’t ask. Well, we got one. It’s been stressful.
But yesterday afternoon we watched a run through. On the set, with the cast of magnificents. Three young ladies from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning came to watch the rehearsal and it was a delight to chat to them, hear their passion, and see how they were inspired by the work.
Our poster and programme are going to print next week. They are stunning. The show looks and sounds amazing. I can’t wait for the actual thing. I can’t wait.
