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Wilmer Müller
Festivalgoers heading to Cape Town from 30 April to 4 May for their annual dose of art at Suidoosterfees can enjoy a variety of short yet powerful theatre productions. Tickets for these mini productions in the festival’s Short and Sweet programme are available for just R50.
These striking 20- to 30-minute performances are ideal for art lovers looking for top-quality entertainment between longer productions. Made possible by NATi and the Johann Brink Trust, this programme features music, dance, word art and comedy.
COMEDY
NATi, the National Afrikaans Theatre Initiative, presents the short comedies Ouma & Bettie kook! And Kleedkamer.
Dean John Smith and Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck’s hilarious characters, Aunty Bettie and Ouma Magdaleen, will have audiences roaring with laughter in Ouma & Bettie kook! The duo finds themselves in the kitchen together, and as expected, the result is nothing short of hysterical. These characters have already built a massive fan base at local arts festivals.
Brendon Daniels stars in Ferdinand Bekker’s short comedy Kleedkamer, offering audiences an exclusive peek inside one of Artscape’s hidden spaces, transformed into an intimate theatre for this production. Gaerin Hauptfleisch directs this highly entertaining play.
MUSIC
Hilton Schilder, one of Cape Town’s musical geniuses, is the focus of Lee-Ann van Rooi’s short production, Part One: Pocket Rocket. This musical theatre piece introduces festivalgoers to the groundbreaking composer who masters 16 traditional musical instruments and has 46 albums to his name.
Two Short and Sweet productions bring well-known artists together for unique musical experiences. Ilse Klink and Anna Davel will captivate audiences in Davel & Klink in Harmonie, while Halfuurhuis toe sees Frieda van den Heever and Dean Balie deliver heartfelt musical performances.
Classical music is also represented in two short productions. Viva Italia! An Operatic Songbook showcases UCT Opera’s finest emerging voices. Vocal coach and music director Lisa Engelbrecht presents her most talented opera students, performing arias and ensembles like “Casta Diva,” “Una Furtiva Lagrima,” and “Con tepartirò.” Karabo Rabaloi, Molly Dzangare, Thandolwethu Longo, and Themba Mdlalose take centre stage, accompanied by Lisa Engelbrecht on piano.
The award-winning Charl du Plessis Trio, with four SAMA awards to their name, delivers a virtuoso performance in Charl du Plessis Trio: Swinging Classics. This trio – Du Plessis, Werner Spies and Peter Auret – reinterprets works by Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi, Dave Brubeck, and Billy Joel in their signature entertaining style.
DANCE
Dance productions at the festival will be presented by companies including Cape Town City Ballet, Figure of 8, and the Waterfront Theatre School.
Cape Town City Ballet, renowned for the diversity of their repertoire, presents Bite-size Ballet, a stunning fusion of classical and contemporary dance. They also collaborate with Figure of 8 and guitar maestro Mauritz Lotz in Wings of Light: Dance of an Angel, featuring music composed by Lotz.
Thalia Alberts directs and choreographs Ode to Earth Worms, a moving dance production described as “an apocalyptic love letter.” In this piece, a group of professional dancers depict a whale carcass sinking to the ocean floor.
Students from the Waterfront Theatre School blend dance, music, and drama in their short production Spotlight. With “high-octane choreography and music combined with dramatic storytelling”, these young performers will showcase why the theatre school is the perfect place for developing their talent.
The complete Suidoosterfees programme is available at suidoosterfees.com, and tickets can be purchased via Webtickets. The festival’s main sponsors include the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture; the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport; the City of Cape Town; Netwerk24; Die Burger; NATi; kykNET; the ATKV; and Artscape.