BWW Preview: Returning Shows with New Twists at #NAF16

Many South African theatre-makers and performers make their way to the National Arts Festival every year, some of whom return time and time again to take advantage of the opportunity to experiment with their craft, to feed on the boundless energy that the Festival perpetuates, particularly on the National Lottery Fringe. As often as they present new work, these artists also revisit older projects or use the momentum they have gained over a year or two to revitalise an existing one. These productions sometimes return to the Festival with a twist: a change of cast, revised scripting, a new director, or even a combination of these. In this column, I'll be taking a look at three productions that I previously reviewed, all of which are back in Grahamstown on the National Lottery Fringe, having switched things up in one way or another since their original incarnations.

Wynne Bredenkamp's SALT was one of the most moving experiences I had at the 2014 National Arts Festival. Bredenkamp's haunting exploration of one woman's schizophrenia pits reality against imagination and intellect against emotion. When a new doctor (the endearingly sympathetic David Viviers) takes on the case of Aya (the emotionally layered Emma Kotze), he is drawn into a world of memory and multiple realities. A key character in the piece is Aya's brother, Raiyu, seen only to her her and who cautions her against sharing their secrets. Raiyu was originally played by Daniel Richards, with Shaun Gabriel Smith having taken over the role in more recent runs of the play. With the Standard Bank Ovation Award-winning SALT making its final pilgrimage to Grahamstown in its original production this year, there is no better time to see Smith's take on the character. Running at the Princess Alice Hall throughout the festival at 19:00, SALT is a must-see.

EVERY BEAUTIFUL THING is a family drama by Jon Keevy. The original production was built around actress Briony Horwitz; the pair had previously collaborated on A GIRL CALLED OWL. When the play ran at Cape Town's Alexander Bar last year, it was directed by Tara Notcutt and co-starred Jazzara Jaslyn. This year, Khutjo Green is at the helm, and Cara Roberts joins Horwitz on stage. While this signifies a potentially massive shift in the way the piece might play, Keevy's script about two sisters, one having been adopted before the birth of their parents' miracle baby, will remain the delicate and intimate meditation on the nature and meaning of family that it is at its core. It will be interesting for those who have seen it before to witness to what extent the piece is transformed by a new director as well as the growth in Horwitz's performance as adopted sister, Susan, which convincingly juxtaposes an apparent insensitivity to with the character's deep-seated insecurities. EVERY BEAUTIFUL THING runs at the NG Kerk Hall, with five performances from 7 - 10 July.

Having returned to the festival several times with his take on Herman Charles Bosman's "Oom Schalk" stories, David Muller is back with OOM SCHALK, FROM THE HEART. An episodic show that lends itself to reinvention owing to the sheer wealth of Bosman's output, OOM SCHALK, FROM THE HEART offers a folksy retelling of the original stories with Muller capturing the spirit of both the titular narrator and his stories as he winds his way through the twists and turns experienced by the characters. When I saw the show in 2014, the line-up included "Veld Maiden", "In the Withaak's Shade", "A Bekkersdal Marathon", "The Gramophone" and "Willem Prinsloo's Peach Brandy". With Muller having performed a sequel show at the Festival last year, the line-up of tales in this year's production may feature stories from either edition. Could there be new additions too? You'll have to see by reserving your seats to see the show at Dick's, where it runs on most days of the Festival at various times.

The National Lottery Fringe receives a boost this year with the National Lotteries Commission having invested R10-million in the National Arts Festival. Artists on the National Lottery Fringe Programme can access a R1000 rebate that will make it easier for them to make their Festival presentations profitable. Professor Alfred Nevhuthanda, the chairperson of the National Lotteries Commission comments:

The National Lotteries Commission is committed to making a positive change. At the 2016 National Arts Festival, we welcome the opportunity to see South Africa's artists perform on new stages and we want to see South African talent being nurtured through these opportunities.

Snippets from the hundreds of production that are on the National Lottery Fringe when it runs from today, 30 June, until 10 July can be enjoyed at the free SAfm Sundowner Concerts that take place daily at 17:00 in the Monument Foyer. For the latest news on tickets and the Standard Bank Ovation Awards, and for audience shares of their National Lottery Fringe favourites, follow the hashtag #NAF16 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The National Arts Festival is grateful to the National Lotteries Commission, the Department of Arts and Culture, Eastern Cape Provincial Government, M-Net and Standard Bank of South Africa for their sponsorship of this event.

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