Acts of Love Under a Southern Moon… PMB!
We are slowly getting our Represent feelers out to the other provinces as the word spreads… Here we even feature the Durban-based Flatfoot dance company that will be showing their latest piece in Maritzburg! Ah Maritzburg… you bad bad town. Performers make sure you go straight back to Durban afterwards… that town can suck you in! Our girl Naz gives us the shakedown: Wh…ere do you begin to write about something that touches you and moves you in so many different ways? Where do you begin to put into words that surge of emotion you feel when you watch a dance so beautiful, so true, and so close to home? This is exactly my dilemma as I sit here, trying to recount my experience of watching the latest creation of the Flatfoot Dance Company last night. Acts of Love Under a Southern Moon was inspired by choreographer Llianne Loots’ personal journey to the Karoo and her own need “to find a Mecca ” a spiritual East!. As the journey unfolds it becomes immediately recognisable to each individual as his own journey, for we all search for this place (externally and internally) that we can call home. Thus it is a piece about love for each other, love for oneself, and love for the earth – unconditional love. This is particularly relevant to us as South Africans, learning to love our home country, despite a history characterised by hatred, and only when we can learn to do this, can we truly survive. In true Flatfoot style, the production was an intricate collaboration of video, poetry and contemporary dance that was both familiar yet refreshing. The show featured some old faces such as award-winning Musa Hlatswayo and Marise Kyd, but also boasted the newest Flatfoot talents, Lenin Shabala and Sizwe Zulu who performed a delicate, and moving duet. I was particularly impressed by Caroline Van Wyk, a powerful, confident dancer whose award is long-overdue. The three poets were without a doubt stars of the show in their own right. Quincy Fynn of The Big Idea, Ian Robinson and Nathan Redpath of Illuminating Shadows each performed original texts, which were bold expressions of love, and which questioned the lost passion in South Africans today. Probably one of the best works I have yet seen by Llianne Loots’ Flatfoot Dance Company and I have no doubt that from here on they will be soaring to the moon and beyond. Acts of Love Under a Southern Moon is about a personal journey and yet can be true to the spiritual search of every South African, or for that matter every human being, carrying the...
Market Lab: COCO does Jokile and the Miracles
I love the theatre. Especially good theatre where your mind leaves your body, disconnecting from the present and zooming into the drama… There is some great theatre around at the moment – go and escape… While the sexy shocker CARDS is on at the Market theatre till the 5 June, a very special one man show is on at the Market Lab tonight and tomorrow only (Fri… and Sat 20th and 21st May). We highly recommend it. JOKILE AND THE MIRACLES is performed by the versatile and lovable COCO MERCKEL, a talented thespian whose ability to switch seamlessly between an array of characters is mind-blowing. The show consists of four short stories, all told by Coco – [duh – its a one-man play! TGIF]. The stories are adaptations of Dario FO’s MISTERO BUFFO and when I say adaptations, I am refering to the wonderful mix of Kasiology, Zulu Tswana, Tsotsi taal and Westbury special that mix up this story and make it both South Africanised and bloody funny too. The stories are from the middle ages, they took me back to my innocent and easy days of RELIGION lessons in primary and Sunday school… some are much-loved Bible stories and others were ‘found by various researchers and scholars in old libraries around Italy which were then compiled and dramatised the Italian playwright, director and performer Darius FO – the 1997 winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. ‘ Merckel takes a hold of these stories and twists them up with his own brand of humour and style, giving them a light, accessible and truly enjoyable feel. He does an incredible job – one man shows are not easy and he keeps you engaged for an hour and a half… What a memory! Towards the end of the fourth story we could tell he was tiring a little but then it all ended and we wished he could go on. If you have nothing to do today or tomorrow – get your 30 sheckels out and go back in time with COCO MERCKEL. JOKILE AND THE MIRACLES MARKET LAB Market Theatre Precinct Newtown Precinct Fri 20th Sat 21st May ONLY R30 at the door. 7:30pm...
SEXY SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT GOES DOWNHILL
You know we are big on exposing the underground – hence our support of Special Assignment stories… we don’t say that we should believe everything we hear or see, but at least give it some time so you know what’s going on… This Tuesday, we join the police in Port Elizabeth as they crack down on drug hotspots in the inner city. One of the main targets of the police rai…ds is the Belvia Hotel in Govan Mbeki Avenue, home to Nigerian drug dealers and South African sex workers. Earlier this year, Special Assignment broadcast a programme entitled “Uphill”, which showed that crime and drug dealing were flourishing in some of the most historic areas of Port Elizabeth. In “Downhill” we highlight efforts by the police to sort out those areas. We also profile the lives of two sex workers and their Nigerians and discover just why a bond between them exists. Love has taken root and what was once merely a business relationship, is now an emotional one. In this world of pimps and prostitutes, white women are seen as status symbols because they bring in more money. Says a sex worker: “Some Nigerians can have 5 girls at a time, depending on the money they bring in. Most of them start at a place like the Belvia Hotel and from there move to flats in PE. And the girls take pride in that. They say look what I gave my Nigerian – we have a flat, a car…” But when the money isn’t coming in, the relationship changes. Then she is not good enough any more. They don’t care if she dies or what happens. They will just go and look for another one.” The Nigerians, who admit they sell drugs because they can’t find jobs, explain their presence in the city. “We are African. African men have to travel. Travel is part of education.” The Eastern Cape MEC for Safety and Security, Thobile Mhlahlo, feels differently: “We cannot allow people who say they are our brothers to smuggle drugs in this area. We have to behave in a regulated manner in this country.” But the Nigerians dealers accuse the police of not behaving in a regulated way. “They will collect packets of ecstasy and then sell them back to us. So how can they say they are fighting for crime? It’s a very dirty business.” This fascinating insight into the lives of Nigerians dealers and their women, against the backdrop of the city of Port Elizabeth, was produced by Jessica Pitchford, with camerawork by Byron Taylor and Ivan Oberholzer. Tuesday 24 MAY 2005 SABC3 2130...
AFRICA COMES TO LONDON 23 – 30 May
The sun is finally out in London and with it comes an African festival called OUT OF AFRICA. OOT 2005 is being held in the heart of London: Kingsly court and Carnaby St to be exact, right near SOHO, Regents Street, Picadally circus… W1 which means ZONE 1 to those in the know. The festival is a carnival of soun…ds, colours and tastes that grabs the imagination and will broaden perceptions about Africa forever. It’s being held from the 23 May to the 30 May 2005. A quick glance at the program reveals little REPRESENTATION from South Africans… but I am sure there will be lots more opportunity next year…Get in and find out. There is a Zimbabwean/UK vocalist Netsayi performing as well as the official release of the next AMABALA cd called REAL EARTH that does feature SA bands but otherwise it looks a bit bare… The categories at the festival are MUSIC, FASHION, POETRY, DANCE and DJ’ing – so lots of scope for us to fill. If you’re in London go down to Carnaby st for a bit of homebrew…...
FRINGE FESTIVAL LOOKING GOOD in G-TOWN
YAY – its that time of the year! G-town Festival – or now known as National Arts Festival. The National Arts Festival Fringe programme is a multi-layered cocktail of delight – and what’s more – there are some healthy discounts on offer for the first time ever! Early birds really will catch the worm – tickets to most Fringe shows on the first day of Festival (30 June) are being …sold at half price! And, the cherry on top of this heady mix is that fringe artists are also now offering students and Friends of the Festival discounted tickets. Some of this years’ highlights include Zimbabwe’s Dudu Manhenga and the Color Blu band who are ready to take off on a high-performance, crossbreed musical cruise that will appeal across the age divide; and local company, the Ancient Monarchy Music Project, who are gung-ho to give you a live music ‘Rootical Session’ of the freshest Afro-Indigenous harmonies and reggae. Last year’s comedy hit, the Chilli Boy (Matthew Ribnick) has a brand new gem up his sleeve, Hoot; Mark Sampson, Cokey Falkow and David Newton are ready to slog it out on the stand-up stages; and Shirley Kirchmann has some solid-gold advice for all the women out there in her Barbara Woodhouse-inspired Train your Man. Megan Bridge jets in from the USA to present her multi-media award-winning dance piece The Fold, and the youthful, fresh exuberance of Cape Town’s Afrika Ablaze Dance Company will have you rising to your feet in A Standing Ovation. The Soweto Dance Project is Flying High in a presentation of three new works from South African choreographers, Nelisiwe Xaba, Disemelo Khasa and Pule Molebatsi; while Zoey Lapinsky’s quirky physical theatre piece explores the highs, lows and insecurities of a not quite 5-foot dancer trying to capture A Side Portion of the Limelight. Andrew Buckland, Bheki Mkwane, Nicholas Ellenbogen, Jullian Mokoto, Greig Coetzee, Helena Hettema, Sylvaine Strike, Martin Kobokae, Vincent Nkosi, Ian von Memerty, Adi Paxton &the 2005 Fringe programme reads like a who’s who of the entertainment world. With over 230 productions and 32 visual art exhibitions, you cannot afford not to be in Grahamstown between 30 June and 9 July! Pick up a Booking Kit at selected Standard Bank branches or Computicket outlets or order a copy from the Festival Office (phone 046 603 1103/1164 or fax 046 622 3082). Visit the Festival website for info on accommodation, transport and full details on both the Main and Fringe programmes....
NANA the SWAZI DIVA tours SA – Color Bar on Wed
She’s at the COLOR BAR this Wednesday 15th and Thursday is a holiday – so GET THERE! As Represent readers may have picked up we have a special place for Swaziland in our hearts. We came across this SISI about a year ago and knew her dark but deep sounds and unique visionary style would take her places – NANA is finally coming into the fore – che…ck her out on her upcoming tour of ZA. She’s also the new voice of the current Rugby mania going down… catch it! Swazi diva, Nana will tour South Africa and the SADC countries for the “Fýte de la Musique” celebrations sponsored by the French Cultural Network. Nana has been compared to Eartha Kitt, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, yet there is nothing derivative about her. She’s gorgeous, sensitive and her vocal style and music is totally unique. Many predict that Nana could well be one of the hottest new talents on the South African music scene. The French cultural networks of Alliance Franýaise and the French Institute of South Africa have selected Nana to be the touring artist for their “Fýte de la Musique” tour. Every year the French cultural network’s “Fýte de la Musique” is celebrated worldwide in week of musical festivities that are aimed at encouraging artistic innovation and interaction on a musical platform. “We have been following Nana’s musical career for a while now and she performed under the Playtime Festival banner last October. We chose to work with Nana for these celebrations because of her fresh vibrant sound and stage attitude. We think it is really a great opportunity to have an original and up-coming talent on stage,” says Býnýdicte Alliot, Director of the French Institute. “The French Network prides itself in being part of the reason why the music of artists such as Rokia Traore and Papa Wemba is enjoyed in many clubs and households worldwide. Nana is an important recent find in the SADC region. With no doubt she will soon take the world by storm,” says Claude Gonin, director of the Alliance Franýaise of Mbabane. Swazi born Nana is no stranger to South African audiences, especially since her debut album ‘Five Loaves & Two Fish’ garnered 3 SAMA award nominations last year. 2005 has been a good year for the singer with her track Koboyi having just been licensed by Warner Brothers for a film soundtrack. While Nana’s music has received extensive radio play, seeing the songstress in a live performance really brings home her dynamism and talent. “This is my first tour of southern Africa and I’m really looking forward to meeting the...
We will be back!
