INTERNATIONAL NEWS
AND REVIEWS
AFRICA
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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" - Index
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