PLAYTIME FESTIVAL – 2 -3 Nov Newtown / Kliptown
IFAS – the French Institute – has got a fantastic fes…
tival coming up at the beginning of November called PLAYTIME which is taking part in both Newtown and Soweto (Kliptown) – the aim of the festival is to remove the somtimes “exclusive” feel of arts and make it accessible to a wider audience. For more information click here.
Here’s the scoop:
The Playtime Festival
3 – 5 November
Newtown, Johannesburg
6 November
Kliptown, Soweto
The Playtime Festival is simultaneously a celebration of the arts and of the spirit of the city. The festival plays host to a wide and varied range of events; photography, film, video art, dance, music and poetry. Every year is a little bit different and every year one gets to meet new artists and audiences.
Originally Playtime was about getting audiences back into their city to enjoy the arts and culture that has always existed in Newtown. The positive and vibrant Newtown neighbourhood was overshadowed by the negative impression people had about the city. The Playtime Festival was, and still is, about inviting and encouraging audiences to come back into the city and see for themselves that it is an exciting nucleus of art and culture.
It is about establishing a network within Newtown of likeminded enthusiasts to promote the different venues and talents that make up the diverse community.
Playtime has always striven to be a family event where people can get together outdoors. It is accessible to everyone either for free or for a minimal charge. We have arranged something for everyone, but the heart of the festival life is the outdoor cinema where audiences can really feel part of the city and not simply racing from one enclosed venue to another.
Our mandate is to not only to bring French or Francophone artists to South Africa but also to enable a synergy and exchange between artists that often continues long after the festival in the form of constructive and ongoing collaborations. This is where the idea of the Pan-African platform for artistic endeavors really started to take flight.
We are taking art and performances out of the galleries and theatres and bringing it to a wider audience. The Playtime Festival is against artistic exclusivity; we aim to make contemporary culture available to everyone.
SCHEDULE FOR PLAYTIME 2005
NEWTOWN JOHANNESBURG
THURSDAY 3
15:30 Walkabout of Jo’burg photographic exhibition with Guy Tillim and the MPW students, The Drill Hall
18:30 Launch of Guy Tillim’s Book – Jo’burg
FRIDAY 4
18:00 Exhibition: Mothlabane Mashiangwako, Market Theatre Gallery
18:30 Poetry performance by John Matshikiza and Jahn Beukes, Market Theatre Gallery (free performance)
20:00 Performance: Tony Morkel and Fred Koenig, Newtown Park (free performance)
21:00 Outdoor Film Screening: Beauty and the Beast, Newtown Park (free screening)
22:30 Music: Ntja-Pedi line up, Shivava (free concert)
SATURDAY 5
18:00 Poetry reading with Prof. Kgotsisile (Bra Willy), Xarra Books
18:30 Exhibition/ performance: Jean-Christophe Lanquetin, Bag Factory
19:30 Exhibition: Sandile Zulu and Goncalo Mabunda, Afronova Gallery
20:30 Outdoor Film Screening: Jules and Jim, Newtown Park (free screening)
22:00 Music: Nicky Blumenfeld and the Banana Boys, Horror Cafý (R30.00 at the door)
KLIPTOWN SOWETO
SUNDAY 6
14:00 Workshop Simon Kohn, SKY
14:00 Performance/Exhibition: Graffiti, SKY
16:00 Exhibition Rasik “Ekse” Graene, SKY
17:00 Poetry performance by John Matshikiza and Jahn Beukes, SKY (free performance)
18:00 Performance: Tony Morkel and Fred Koenig, SKY (free performance)
18:30 Music: Ntja-Pedi line up, SKY (free concert)
There has been a change in venue. The Kliptown based events on Sunday 6th will take place at the SKY Community Centre in Kliptown. At this stage we are recommending that people park at the Kliptown visitor’s centre and walk to the SKY centre. There will be people guiding the way to SKY and posters marking the route.
Directions to Kliptown Visitors Centre:
From the M1 South join the N12 Kimberley / N1 Bloemfontein. Take the Golden Highway off-ramp and turn right onto the highway. Proceed along the Golden Highway for about 2km. Once you pass Tile Africa on the right, turn right at the next traffic lights – which is Union Street. Go straight along Union Street until you reach Kliptown. At the traffic circle keep left and take the first left. There is a Chicken Licken’ fast food outlet where you should turn left into Beacon Street. Go along Beacon Street and pass through the stop street. You will then see a sign indicating the Visitor’s Centre on the left hand side. There will be people showing the way to SKY and posters marking the route.
Directions to SKY:
From the M1 South join the N12 Kimberley / N1 Bloemfontein. Take the Golden Highway off-ramp and turn right onto the highway. Proceed along the Golden Highway for about 2km. Once you pass Tile Africa on the right, turn right at the next traffic lights – which is Union Street. Go straight along Union Street until you reach Kliptown. At the traffic circle keep left and take the second exit, continue straight to the second traffic circle. Take first exit left, cross the bridge and take the first right immediately after the bridge. Turn right at the T-junction onto the dirt road and after a few meters SKY will be on the right hand side.
PHOTO FROM GUY TILLIM’s BOOK, COURTESY IFAS
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