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.
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