Something of a blueprint for festivals for the performing arts in South Africa may well be in the bud and emerging, along with the annual spree of wild flowers up the West Coast.
The community of Darling is hosting its second Voorkamer fest. If that word conjures up those dour, lifeless front rooms, with the sombre ticking of a grandfather clock and a picture rail hung with bearded Voortrekker ancestors in mahogany frames, then you’re in for a surprise. These front rooms are drawn from across the community — from middle-class Victorian living rooms with bay windows to Reconstruction and Development Programme homes below the rail tracks, such as that of the colourful Maggie Blauw.
Now a confident theatre manager, Tannie Blauw has for the second year converted her zinc-roofed home into a makeshift theatre. Twenty-one homes are in harness this time around, five of them paired and sponsored by such well-known theatres in Europe as the Royal Carré in Amsterdam and the Nieuwe Luxor in Rotterdam.
The brainchild of Dutch producers Inge Bos and Wim Visser, much of the funding comes from Doen — a foundation in The Netherlands. Visser and Bos — well aware that the concept was completely new and, at first, confusing to the public — took the risk and hoped for the best. They were pleasantly surprised. Last year, there was a traffic jam and the streets of sleepy Darling were briefly, and amusingly, gridlocked. This year they’ve already sold twice as many tickets.
The problem often mooted about performing arts festivals in South Africa is that they fail to engage with the broader public and consequently struggle for credibility in the community. The voorkamer concept appears to hold some solutions, chiefly because it goes far beyond simply spreading the economic benefits around. Sure, the local community is involved in the planning of the festival, there are casual jobs, the taxis, the concomitant food and craft stalls, and bed and breakfast accommodation, but vitally important is that this festival also engages with the community participants as sentient beings on a cultural level.
That punters are experiencing in safe conditions unfamiliar places and meeting not only strangers from their own community but also ones from communities they were unlikely to enter is only one aspect. More than a township tour, the Darling hosts are also exposed to what may be for them untried art forms — cabaret, mime, classical music, puppets, modern dance — all performed by professionals in their living rooms.
The artists work hard — performing their 30-minute pieces 12 times over the three days to audiences not always familiar with their craft. Based on last year’s experience, the honesty and freshness of the responses together with the intimacy (the average audience size is 20) seemed to invigorate the performers — such as white kwaito artist Stabani and African musicologist Dizu Plaatjies — both of whom return this year.
Visitors, however, don’t know beforehand who they will see. They purchase a route ticket, taking them to three shows, carefully balanced and chosen by the producers. This encourages people to experiment. Not all the artists are announced and a few mystery guests may turn up pleasant surprises.
Among the publicised performers this year is cellist Peter Martens performing sonatas by Bach, Dutch cabaret artist Stef Bos, South African entertainer Lizz Meiring and Creole singer Leona Phillippo.
There is one route visitors must specifically reserve. Developed by the Mothertongue Project from Cape Town and called Breathing Space, it is directed by Sara Matchett and based on stories told by Darling women that are reworked by professional actresses. The sets in the houses are designed in collaboration with installation artist and filmmaker Kali van der Merwe. The artists from Holland also do workshops at all three local schools the weekend before the festival. These include activities such as making puppets, writing a script and then filming and editing it.
Naturally, the choice of performances is restricted to what can work in a makeshift theatre. Stripped of complicated sets, sounds and light effects, pure dramatic styles are encouraged. You won’t find classical ballet here. But the Voorkamer Festival is doing something quite different. It’s high in concept and as such is easily replicated and versatile.
“It’s not idealistic or simplistic to say that this kind of festival bridges divides in society, enriches communities, and allows even the inhabitants of a small rural South African town to enjoy and have a stake in world culture,” adds producer Wim Visser.