Artscape Highlights for the Gymnasium at the 2015 National Arts Festival

Artscape is proud to present three South African drama works (UNDONE, RETURN OF THE ANCESTORS and CHOMI), one from Botswana (MORWA - THE RISING SUN), and a dance production (UNMUTE) at the National Arts Festival between 2 and 12 July. These productions can be seen at the Gymnasium, a venue exclusively for Artscape productions

Wessel Pretorius's sone-man tour de force, UNDONE, winner of a 2014 Gold Standard Bank Ovation Award, returns to the festival. Pretorius portrays numerous roles in this sensual and bewitching story of a boy and his dysfunctional family. Both poetry and comedy abound in this physical performance interlaced with sensuality, religion and literary references that make the play highly accessible. UNDONE was a huge success at the 2013 Assembly Edinburgh Fringe. Performances of the 65-minute production are at the Gymnasium from 2 - 8 July at 16:15 and from 9 - 11 July at 14:15 and 18:30. An age restriction of 16 years is recommended.

Mike van Graan's satirical work, RETURN OF THE ANCESTORS, will return to the festival again following its huge success in 2014. Starring two young actors, Mandisi Sindo and Siya Sikawuti, the play is directed by Mdu Kweyama. In this humorous drama, the Council of Ancestors decides to send a two-person delegation - Steve Biko and Neil Aggett - to experience the country as it is now and to report back to them. They go on a road trip through the country and on their way visit Nkandla, for a major celebration. Performances are at the Gymnasium from 3 - 5 July at 12:00; 6 - 8 July at 10:00 and 9 - 10 July at 12:00 and 20:30, with a final performance on 11 July at 12:00. The play runs for 75 minutes, with a recommended age restriction of 13 years.

An entertaining and provocative work, CHOMI is a definite must see at Grahamstown. Written by Pfarelo Nemakonde and newly directed by Amy Jephta, CHOMI is a play set in Johannesburg that follows the lives of four black, openly gay twenty-something men: Thabang, an extrovert accountant; Sicelo, a therapist; Percy, who plans to renew his wedding vows to his partner; and Rudzani, an artist battling to find himself. The play follows their unique personalities, their trials and tribulations and their greatest challenge - themselves. Tragedy strikes the four friends and this throws them into turmoil forcing them to through each other face their inner demons. Featuring Anele Situlweni, Siya Sikawuti, Robert Haxton, Yanga Mkonto, Sipho Mahlatshana and Mandisi Sindo, with set and costumes designed by Alfred Rietmann, performances of CHOMI are at the Gymnasium from 6 - 8 July at 14:15 and 18:30 and 9 - 11 July at 16:15. An age restriction of 18 years is recommended.

MORWA - THE RISING SON is a powerful one-man theatre piece written and performed by the young Botswana actor, Tefo Paya, directed by Warren Nebe, with music by Johannesburg-based African percussionist, Volley Nchabeleng. The play follows the story of Morwa, a young Motswana, and his journey of discovering what it means to be a man. The play is based on personal narrative and looks to evoke dialogue and a better understanding of the challenges faced by young men in Africa and African youth on the whole. Through an individual's personal story the play intimately explores issues of masculine identity. Performances of MORWA are at the Gymnasium on 2 July at 14:15 and 18:30, from 3 - 4 July at 14:15 and 20:30, on 5 July at 14:15, from 6 - 8 July at 20:30 and from 9 - 11 July at 10:00.

Finally, UNMUTE, performed by the Unmute Dance Project, is based on Andile Vellem's experience as a dancer who is deaf. He has been dancing professionally for more than 13 years and was part of the Remix Dance Company for 6 of those years. UNMUTE is a way of Vellem finding his voice as a choreographer, using sign language as the source of the movement vocabulary. He has brought together performers with different dance backgrounds to find and explore what they would like to un-mute; feelings, perceptions, social norms, expectations and deconstructing what society perceives as dance. This work was motivated by this huge gap and isolation amongst people, as far as disability is concern. In work places, there are still companies who cannot employ people with disabilities. In public spaces, things like public transportation and access to buildings are inaccessible. Disability is still not being integrated; as a result of that, society does not know how to associate with people with disability. UNMUTE is obviously not the solution to so complex a problem, but it serves as a model for a more inclusive and united society, hence this collaboration of artists with different artistic skills and mixed-ability aims to encourage more integration and equality. This is a way of communicating what Vellum believes is true collaboration and integration, a way of sharing skills, knowledge and stories. It is a first, his own artwork and of those with whom he has worked in 'un-muting': Nadine McKenzie, Zama Sonjica and Yaseen Manuel. Performances are at the Gymnasium from 3 - 5 July at 10:00 and 18:30 and from 6 - 8 July at 12:00. An age restriction of 10 years is recommended.

Tickets for all Artscape productions are R60 per ticket and can be booked online at www.nationalartsfestival.co.za, by phoning 0860 002 004, by email on box-office@nationalartsfestival.co.za or by fax on 086 233 2122. Tickets can be collected at the Monument Box Office Collections counter.

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