AFRICA
IS YOUR COUNTRY (City or Town) represented in THEATREWORLD? - it SHOULD be! Accreditation can be offered to all New Reviewers within days. Please contact the Editor by e-mail (the address is at the foot of this page - or an automatic e-mail 'form' can be found at the foot of the "Welcome" page at the beginning of THEATREWORLD.
We want to hear from you NOW !!!!
******************************************
CONTENTS
SOUTH AFRICA; ZIMBABWE; SWAZILAND; WEST AFRICA
(to find the Country or the specific City you are seeking - use the "find/search" facility on your Internet server, and enter the name)
Click here to return to "Welcome" - Main Menu
This page contains "news" and "reviews" - from around the World ! - could you help?
If you are interested submitting news of forthcoming productions or a review of a show in your Country for publication on this page - please email me:
GPowner@aol.com
WEST AFRICA
Here's a brief presentation of our dance and theatre
group from west Africa, Cameroon so we can be part of
your africa-theatre initiative.
Presentation of the "Nkul – Nnam " Dance and theatre Group
The « Nkul – Nnam » dance and theatre group was founded by Mr . Vincent AHANDA (Choregrapher and Dance Teacher) From this date numerous concerts directed by its founder has been held in all the ten (10) provinces of Cameroon ( Universities, Schools, Cultural centers and Colleges)
Mission assigned to the "Nkul – Nnam" Dance group
« Nkul – Nnam » dance and theatre group was founded to promote socio – cultural and artistic activities of camerounian and african people all over the world. The african civilisation remains a library without readers and the socio – cultural activities constitutes the identity of its people.The group is therefore incharged to make this culture known through all doors of manifestations which concerns culture and on thesame occassion contributes in brightening up cultural activities of Cameroon, Africa and the world in general.
Foreign Tours
Taken into consideration the high prices of air –tickets, only ten (10) to twelve (12) group members can participate after thorough selection in foreign tours . « Nkul – Nnam » dance group is effectively composed of professional artists who have chosen for mission to promote african traditional dance in general and Cameroon in particular.
Costumes – Orchestra and Artistic work
Our costumes and all our music instruments are strictly african and authenticated and our artistic work deeply resourced from African rites and tradition. We dispose of a vast repertory of african dances, theatre and musics and can animate or give concerts during cultural manifestations held by national and international organisms.We can also participate at all types of festivals where artistic qualities are welcomed.
from the President and Founder: Vincent AHANDA
SOUTH AFRICA
CLOSING DOWN OF THE
STATE THEATRE
SOUTH AFRICA
This is a touchy subject to all the art & culture lovers in South Africa. If you feel as strongly about it as thousands of other people already do, please add your name to the list below and forward to your friends ... Please can every 50th person send a copy of this mail to the e-mail addresses listed below.
You are invited to visit the State Theatre website at: http://www.statetheatre.co.za
ZIMBABWE NEWS
Information supplied by Kevin Hanssen with the Editors grateful thanks
Update on Over the Edge, professional Zimbabwean theatre company
It has been a successful year for Over the Edge theatre company from Zimbabwe, performing on three continents this year. In March, OTE took two plays across the Atlantic to the USA, performing an African fantasy interpretation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and their political satire Eternal Peace Asylum (written by OTE’s Wiina Msamati). The performances of these two plays in St Paul, Minnesota and Boston, Massachusetts were excellently received and finished with standing ovations. From Boston the company went onto to perform one improvisation show in NYC before flying back home to prepare for the Harare International Festival of the Arts
(HIFA).
HIFA itself was yet again a success. Now in its third year and growing with each passing year, the festival took place despite some threats that it wouldn’t because of general unrest in Zimbabwe. Some international groups did pull out, but the festival went ahead as planned, lifting the mood of a generally politically and economically depressed Harare. The play must go on! OTE’s contribution to the festival was their new play ‘Born African’. They also teamed together with two international companies in an improvisation show: hidden shakespeare from Hamburg, and Amnesia Wars from New York. Both shows were sold out and a great success. Two of Over the Edge’s members, Kevin Hanssen and Wiina Msamati, performed in a third show, Roger Hawkins' Fade to Black:A series of four monologues that open a window on four very different Zimbabwean lives.
June saw OTE flying to Germany to perform in a variety of locations. First stop, the Neuss Shakespeare Festival. Again, OTE’s vivid Twelfth Night came to life to the enthusiasm of the German audience at the Globe theatre in Neuss. Chatting to some of the audience members after the show I found out that people had come considerable distances to watch the show. The combination of Shakespeare in English in a Globe theatre by an African company seemed good enough reason to make a two hour drive to Neuss for the event! From Neuss, the company moved onto Hamburg where they performed Born African and impro and then onto Berlin for more impro performances.
In August the company reconvened for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the fourth time. They brought two plays to the festival: a re-run of Twelfth Night from the Year before and Born African. The company received rave reviews and a nomination from The Stage Newspaper of London for Acting Excellence in an ensemble for Born African.
Plans for next year include possible touring dates in Iran, Germany, the Minnesota Arts Festival and at the Bath Shakespeare Festival in the UK.
The Editor is most grateful to Kevin for keeping ZIMBABWE updated
SWAZILAND
News by our correspondent MAGGIE DOBSON
THE SIYAVUKA ! SWAZILAND NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL
In 1998, the first Siyavuka ! Swaziland National Arts Festival was held, successfully, from the 28th-30th August in Mbabane. Both local and foreign press were well-represented during the Festival and in the reviews about the Siyavuka ! Festival, the beauty of our country, its strong cultural values and its free and friendly spirit were enthusiastically described.
The Festival created an awareness that Swaziland has a lot to offer. The timing of the first National Festival coincided with the 30th Anniversary of Independence, His Majesty King Mswati III's birthday and the Umhlanga Reed Dance. Encouraging and exciting news is that 1998 was a good year for the tourism industry (from E 118 million in 1997 to E 200 million in 1998).
Last year's Festival news coverage included articles in: The Swazi Times, The Times of Swaziland, The Star, The Daily News, The Natal Mercury, The Pretoria News, The Sowetan7 Die Beeld, The City Press The Sunday Times, The Sunday Independent, The Sunday Times Lifestyle, The Royal Flyer and Hello Johannesburg.
Radio and Television coverage included: Jacaranda Stereo, Radio 702, SAFM and SABC3 Television.
In August last year, His Majesty King Mswati III gracefully invited Siyavuka ! to present some highlights of the Programme at his palace. His Majesty visibly enjoyed himself and, in his speech, encouraged the local business community to support the Siyavuka ! Festival and urged the organisers to make it a yearly event. An annual event will benefit Swaziland in many different ways, as set out in the aims and objectives of the Festival, as follows:
To stimulate national pride in our own Swazi artists, craftsmen and heritage
To create opportunities for local artists to have a platform and to expose our artists to the creativity and performances of international artists
To promote tourism
To deliver an educational message to both young and old about the value of the culture and arts in
our day-to-day lives
To stimulate environmental awareness
In other words, "SIYAVUKA !" We are awakening !:
The long-term aim of Siyavuka ! is to create an Arts Centre.
Apart from sponsorship, the organisation relies upon a vast number of volunteers who are helping, with great dedication, in the various different Festival categories such as Art, Dance, Theatre, Youth, Music, Film and Photography. The willingness of our community to participate has created the foundation of our Festival: a project for the community, by the community - a celebration of the human spirit.
Siyavuka ! is a private non-profit organisation, falling under the auspices of the Swaziland National Council of Arts and Culture. In 1998, Siyavuka ! was sponsored by private businesses and local institutions. Our main sponsors included: Sun International Hotels, Standard Bank of Swaziland, Swaziland Brewers, Nedbank, the Times of Swaziland, Tibiyo Taka Ngwane, Coco Cola and the Swaziland Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association.
The Mbabane City Council was the anchor for our physical planning and logistics and they have pledged their support, once again, for this year.
The Festival Committee for this year is made up as follows:
Fred Oostergetel Chairman, Sponsorship, Marketing
Andreas Mafioso Press and Publication
Zoe Dean-Smith Entertainment Programme Coordination
Harpert van Seggelen Fundraising, Sponsorship, Accommodation
Anthony Dew Venue Logistics, Ticket Sales, Catering, Stalls
Sarah-Jane Kemp Legal, Accounts, Budget
Hilde Smoor Press and Publications
The Festival logo represents the spirit of the Festival: the joyous dancing figure, pointing to our planet and Africa; the rays of sun exhorting us to awaken - SIYAVUKA ! The logo is backed up by the Swazi shield symbolising Swaziland's strong cultural tradition.
The Siyavuka - 1999 Management Team hopes to secure several different cultural features for the Programme, which will include contributions from South Africa, Mocambique, Kenya, Zimbabwe and other African countries.
Sponsorship is being sought to finance each individual event. Should the Fundraising Team succeed in securing sponsorship for each artist / performer, legal Contracts will be drawn up between
The Siyavuka ! Management Team and the artist/s and we look forward to working with them all to promote Arts and Culture in our Southern African region.
We are, at present, contacting the artists to establish their availability for this year's Festival. To you, as a potential sponsor for the Festival, we offer a broad range of different artists / performers from which we request that you select one (or more) whom you would like to sponsor. The sponsorship costs indicated, per artist / performer, will include:
performance fees, accommodation, travel costs, stage and sound equipment hire (calculated on a pro rata basis), publicity and administration costs. This will ensure that no financial deficit is accumulated.
The Festival Programme and its sponsors will be advertised in Swaziland South Africa and Mocambique as well as on our Internet website. Each sponsor will therefore be ensured of maximum advertising coverage. During the Festival, you will be free to decorate the venues where performances being sponsored by yourselves are held.
With your invaluable help, this year's Festival will run from Tuesday 21st September until Sunday 26th September and will be held at the Prince of Wales Oval, the Swaziland Theatre Club, the Omnicentre and other venues around that area.
Tuesday to Thursday's Programme will include Theatre; Film; Dance; a Jazz Music Festival and Fine Art & Photographic Exhibitions. From Friday through to Sunday, the full range of events will take place and will also include a Street Parade on Saturday; a Children's Festival; an Environmental Awareness
Exhibition; Crafts Stalls continious music concerts and dance performances Food &, Drink Stalls Street
Stalls; continuous music concerts and Dance performances Food and Drink Stalls; Street Theatre; Arts & Culture Workshops and a "Highlight" Music Concert featuring a major international band on Saturday night.
A few of the artists on our preliminary list are:
Music
(South Africa)
African Jazz Pioneers, Amampondo, Bayethe, Boom Shaka, Caiphus & Letta, Hugh Masekela, Just finger, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lucky Dube, Mdu Miriam Makeba, Rebecca Malope, Ringo Madlingose, Sibongile Khumalo, Soweto String Quartet, TKZee, Gloria Bosman
(Swaziland)
Buddy Masango, Dan Dlamini, Nana Magagula, Smiles Makama, the Rabbis of Rhythm, Rappers Vamoose, the Rhumba Stars, DJ Snoop, Strive, the Bhunya Bombers
(Mocambique)
Kapa Dech, Basadi, Makwere and others ...
(International)
Ismael Lo, Kadja Nin, Papa Wemba, Salif Keita, The Corrs, Youssou N'dour
And a few choirs ...
Dance
The Mocambique National Dance School, Robyn Orlin's City Theatre and DanGe Group, Soweto Dance Theatre, the Swaziland National Ballroom Association, St. Joseph's Mission's traditional Swazi dancers, Vuma Wethu Zulu Dancers, a Sibhaca Dance Competition . .. and others
Theatre
The Peoples Educational Theatre (PET), Faka Likhona Theatre Group, Siphila Nje Theatre Group, Khanya Community Theatre, Theatre for Africa, The Market Laboratory, Johannesburg Youth Theatre, Sibahle Educational Puppet Theatre, Jiggs and Friends, Zimbabwe's Great Comission Theatre Company, Richard E. Grant (a patriotic ex-Swazi), Selaelo Maredi and others ...
What we're trying to achieve is to present a huge cross-section of cultural arts ranging all the way from Kwaito music to Classical ballet to Soapstone sculptures all in one place at one time.
We thank you for taking the time to read through this background information and look forward to receiving positive confirmation that, in some form, you are able to assist us in providing sponsorship for this most wonderful Festival.
The Editor extends his grateful thanks for Maggie Dobson for bringing Swaziland into the International 'family' of THEATREWORLD INTERNET MAGAZINE -
For more details or individual advice/help - email:
GPowner@aol.com