Cutting-edge works at Cape Town’s Drama for Life Festival
September 7, 2010 – The Drama for Life Festival debuts in Cape Town from 9 to 11 September 2010, with a selection of provocative performing arts pieces and workshops that grapple with sexual behaviour.
The festival, themed “Sex Actually”, has just completed a week’s run at Wits University in Joburg, and now makes its way to various venues on the University of Cape Town’s Hiddingh campus.
In partnership with UCT’s Drama Department and the Little Theatre, Cape Town’s Drama for Life (DfL) Festival will be using the arts to open up discussions around sex, HIV and Aids and relationships.
Taking place mainly in the Arena Theatre, the Little Theatre, the Rosedale building and the Movement Room, the programme includes two highly acclaimed plays from Peter Hayes, fresh from Grahamstown stages – Ncamisa! The Women and I Am Here.
Ncamisa! The Women (on Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 4pm at the Arena) is a brave and deeply moving exploration of growing up as a black lesbian in South Africa, and is based on the true story of Zoliswa Nkonyana, who was beaten and stabbed to death by a group of young men because of her sexuality.
I Am Here (on Thursday at 1pm and Saturday at 7pm at the Little Theatre), directed by Jaqueline Dommisse, is a deeply personal work performed by Hayes, who, after deciding to adopt a child, found out that he was HIV positive.
Another festival highlight is PJ Sabbagha’s HIV/Aids-inspired multimedia contemporary dance work Deep Night, featuring Standard Bank Young Artist Dada Masilo, on Thursday and Friday at 8.30pm at the Little Theatre.
Other performances include the production Siyasebenza! and laughter therapy workshops by Clowns Without Borders, as well as the interactive, improvised Stories of Transformation by Bonfire Theatre.
The Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company will be staging Hush – a funny, hard-hitting production that tackles topics usually shied away from in polite conversation – as well as workshops, while the Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre presents The Human Ladder.
The “No Blame No Shame” workshops with Dr Ann Ferrera focus on training young, sexually active people how to treat their bodies and health with respect, dignity and responsibility, while Phakama’s S*X workshops at the Theatre Arts Admin Collective in Observatory integrate performance and installation elements.
Lovers of spoken-word performance shouldn’t miss the DfL Lover and Another Poetry Workshop – a vibrant poetry slam during which young people can talk frankly about sex and relationships.
It’s time to talk about sex – uncensored! All events are free, but donations are welcome.
For the full DfL programme and details of venues and times, visit http://www.dramaforlife.co.za, phone (021) 480-7129 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Please note that some works carry age restrictions due to their graphic or provocative content.