DRIFTING

Rhodes University Drama Department is proud to present “Drifting”, a tribute show to the acclaimed South African playwright, Reza de Wet, to be performed at the Rhodes Theatre during Rhodes Graduation on the 4^th, 6^th,and 9^th April 2013 at 7:00pm.

“Reza has such an incredible legacy, both within the department, nationally, and internationally,” says department HOD Andrew Buckland, “that we wanted to find a vehicle to celebrate her, and mark her passing, appropriately. But how does one do that? We considered various options – doing an entire work, recreating various scenes…but that led us down the track of either trying to find the definitive Reza show, or ending up with a variety concert. Instead, we have decided to do what Rhodes Drama does best – a visual and physical response to her oeuvre, and the creation of an original response, or reaction to her as a provocation.”

The result is a mixed-media, multicultural, and many-faceted response to her work. An eclectic mix of senior postgraduate students and professional performers has birthed “Drifting” under the curatorship of Rob Murray, Andrew Buckland, and new design head Illka Louw.

“There is a new movement within the department,” says Buckland, “with new lecturers and a fresh energy towards making work. All of this plugs into the show that will showcase our strengths and emphasise our belief in collaboration and a shared creativity.”

The resultant work is a number of image-driven scenes inspired by various de Wet texts such as “Drif”, “Diepe Grond”, “Mirakel”, and texts for the First Physical Theatre Company such as “Dialogue” and “Unspeakable Story”.

“We’re pushing the theatricality of the scenes,” says Illka Louw, “in order to capture the essence of Reza in image, sound, mood, and atmosphere. In this, we have taken certain theatrical and poetic licences in the weaving together of disparate elements and various manifestations of Reza and women in general and the creation of a magical realism that we believe she would approve of.”

“There will be certain areas that will irritate the purists,” adds in Murray, “in that we have filtered Reza’s texts through the physical imagination of the core cast made up of department staff and senior postgraduates. But what they’ve all come up with will hopefully lead to a curiosity and intrigue to revisit her texts, or act as an introduction to Reza, and do justice to the complex and amazing artist and woman that she was.”

Featuring choreographic input by Athina Vahla and Juanita Finestone-Praeg, dramaturgy by Rob Murray and Andrew Buckland, and performances by Andrew Buckland, Juanita Finestone, Lindsay Reardon, Liezl de Kock, Ilana Cillers, Pumelela Nqgelenga, Hannah Lax, Tristan Jacobs, Sifiso Sikhakhane, Levern Botha, Leonard Praeg, and animation by Bianca Binneman, “Drifting” is a not to be missed show for all arts enthusiasts, total theatre lovers, and anyone with a pulse.

All monies made off ticket sales for “Drifting” will go straight to furthering The Reza De Wet Post Graduate Bursary for Drama Students. 

“Drifting” performs on the 4^th and 6^th April at 19h00 and a Student Special Performance again on 9^th April at 19h00.  The show is PG rated for language and disturbing scenes.

Tickets can be booked at either the Theatre Cafe or in Room 107 in the Drama Department. 

Age recommendation | PG

Date | Thursday 04 | Saturday 06 April | Tuesday 09 April

Time | 19:00

Duration | one hour

Tickets | Theatre Cafe | 09:00 – 16:00 weekdays

Tickets | Drama Department Room 107 | 09:00 – 13:00 weekdays

Pre-booked ticket price | R100 (Public) | R80 (Graduates) | R60 (Block Booking)

Box Office ticket price | R120 (Public) | R100 (Graduates)

Student Special | R50 (Public) | R30 (Students)

Contact | Robert 046 603 8542 (mornings only) | r.haxton@ru.ac.za

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HOD Andrew Buckland presents two exlusive performances to aid Drama Bursaries

Rhodes University Professor and Award Winning Theatre Legend Andrew Buckland will be presenting two exclusive performances of Dario Fo’s highly acclaimend work Mistero Buffo to Grahamstown audiences on Friday and Saturday (25 February). All proceeds from these two shows will go directly to supporting and aiding bursaries for drama students.  

Prof Buckland presents this onslaught from a specifically South African perspective and, in so doing, accesses the universal truths of this phenomenal work of theatre. The work is sophisticated yet simple, wildly physical and extremely funny.

In Mistero Buffo, first staged in 1969, this one-man epic performance combines the grotesque comedy of the Italian medieval performance traditions with razor-sharp contemporary political satire.  

The play, which caused great controversy in 1977 when televised, by distilling the popular and irreverent elements of medieval mystery plays, functions as a political and cultural onslaught against the repressions of religious institutions and landowning classes throughout history, expressing them in the language of the peasantry.

Ticket prices for Mistero Buffo are R25 (Public) and R20 (Students).   Tickets available at the Theatre Café, Rhodes Drama Department.  24 February @ 8pm (Rhodes Main Theatre) and 25 February @ 7pm (Rhodes Main Theatre)

Source: Grocott’s Mail

Beyond Fighting

Come join the Rhodes Drama Department in the Box Theatre, Wednesday 22 @ 7pm for a free Lecture Demonstration on two Japanese martial art forms (Karate & Aikido). The Interdisciplinary Lecture Demonstration is a monthly event bring together various components of body awareness in an array of fields.

Pantsula Van Tuka Af

A new show about the birth of Pantsula

Directed by Ayanda Nondlwana

Choreographed by Thozamile Ngqcongo (Rocky)

Saturday 12^th November | 7pm

Box Theatre

Ayanda Nondlwana presents his take on the History of Pantsula, from its roots in 1950s Sophiatown to its present day entertainment value.

Pantsula Van Tuka Af is an episodic play, following a number of vivid characters through their journey of discovering Pantsula. The show is full of lively and engaging dance routines. It provides a sense of the history and development of Pantsula, from its origins in the Gangsterish clubs of Sophiatown where it was a dance for tough guys, to its present form as a highly skilled and specifically South African dance form.

This show not only provides an insight into South African culture and history, but also offers a show of highly skilled dance from passionate and dedicated performers.

Tickets

R20 and R15 for students

Available at the door and from Ayanda Nondlwana

Bookings | k.bold at ru.ac.za

Duration |1 - 1.5 hours