The Vuyani Dance Theatre is one of the organisations that will participate in the Open Newtown initiative
CAPE TOWN
- Following the release of his third album, Caustic Love, Scottish singer-songwriter and Brit award nominee Paolo Nutini will be performing in South Africa. WHEN March 18 to 19 at Kirstenbosch at 5pm and March 21 at Sowing the Seeds, Emmarentia Dam, Johannesburg, at 10am. INFO Tickets available through webtickets.co.za
- The theme for the sixth Cape Town Carnival is Elemental: Celebrating Fire, Water, Air and Earth. The carnival features spectacular floats, exciting costumes and vibrant song and dance, and this year’s lead performer is Nigerian-born Chima Okafor. WHEN March 14. WHERE Green Point Fan Walk. INFO Visit capetowncarnival.com
Chima Okafor is a lead performer in the Cape Town Carnival
FRANSCHHOEK VALLEY
- Oesfees brings together farmworkers and owners from the Franschhoek Valley with thousands of music lovers and top performers. The festival is also a showcase for the Music van de Caab project run by Adriaan Brand, who rose to fame with the rock band Springbok Nude Girls. An important part of the festival is the performances by Solms-Delta’s very own home-grown bands among all the top talent. Guests can look forward to amateur and professional bands, the sounds of goema, Cape jazz, langarm, vastrap and boeremusiek. Rustic local cuisine is served all day. WHEN March 21. INFO Visit solms-delta.com
JOHANNESBURG
- Artist Proof Studio is collaborating with Newtown tenants and cultural hubs to host the Open Newtown, as part of the Newtown Rejuvenation Initiative. A commemorative exhibition will be held to celebrate the legacy of one of Jozi’s creative pioneers, Nhlanhla Xaba, who died in a fire at the studio in 2003. The exhibition presents seminal works and unsigned artist’s proofs by Xaba, as well as tribute works and images by former students of the studio. Supported by the department of arts and culture’s Mzansi Golden Economy programme, the initiative seeks to expose the public to the depth and range of exciting activities and creativity in Newtown. WHEN March 14 to 15. WHERE Events will centre around the famous Bassline music venue and the new Newtown Junction shopping mall. Participating organisations, such as the Artist Proof Studio and the Market Photo Lab, will be open to the public to showcase the work they produce and the education opportunities they offer. INFO Visit Twitter.com/ArtistProofJHB
- A tribute to André Brink and his work will honour his legacy through readings of extracts of his books in as many languages as possible. WHEN March 13 at 6.30pm. WHERE Alliance Française, 17 Lower Park Drive, Parkview. INFO Visit ifas.org.za
- The Festival of Fame is a showcase of music, dance, visual art and drama that features a host of top-quality National School of the Arts productions, including some original works from students. There is also a selection of award-winning professional productions curated by Assitej South Africa. The school’s major production is Fame – the Musical, about life and its journeys for students at the New York School of the Performing Arts. With its professional directorial team of Mark Hawkins, Janna Ramos-Violante, Nic Michaletos, Wilhelm Disbergen, Akhona Bozo and Charlie van Rooyen, and featuring professionals Jonathon Taylor, Lala Tuku, Helen Desbois and Dean Roberts as the teachers performing alongside the school’s rising stars, this production at the Mandela Theatre at the Jo’burg Theatre is not to be missed.
Learners from the National School of the Arts
Other highlights include The Donkey Child, a seminal collaborative work by Lindiwe Matshikiza and the Hillbrow Theatre, Dance Spectrum, The Epicene Butcher and the multinominated and award-winning The Champion by Khayalethu Anthony, directed by Khayalethu Mofu. WHEN Until March 15. WHERE Jo’burg Theatre and various venues at the National School of the Arts. INFO Tickets range from R80 for a full-day pass (R60 for school block bookings) and R100 for evening and weekend shows at the Jo’burg Theatre. Visit festivaloffame.co.za for the programme and joburgtheatre.com for bookings.
PRETORIA
- The play Township Funeral revolves around an “after- tears party”. Friends and foes of the deceased, Oupa, a gangster kingpin, meet after his funeral to celebrate his life and death. The big question on everybody’s lips is “who really murdered Oupa “Mdala” Motshoeneng? WHEN March 19 to 29. WHERE Momentum Theatre at the State Theatre. INFO Visit statetheatre.co.za