About Us: Playing For Keeps follows two school friends whose carefree lives just got complicated. The class joker discovers that his sibling, who he thought was overseas, is actually in hospital with AIDS, and his personal search to try to come to terms with and understand it – bringing his family back together in the process. Meanwhile his pretty classmate is overwhelmed by the attentions of an older boy, who showers her with company, and gifts, and attention – but what does he want in exchange?
Through the course of the action the audience is introduced to HIV and AIDS and Tuberculosis; how they affect the body, as well as the prejudices and misinformation that surround them. They are also led to explore the nature of their own wants, desires and role in society, as well as the role and responsibility of the adults around them and, what is and what is not acceptable. The show stresses the importance of family, and examines how friendships provide support and assistance in difficult times.
INTERMEDIATE PHASE
- Study Area: Personal and Social Well-being (PSW)
- Topic 1: Development of the self
- Topic 2: Health and environmental responsibility
- Topic 3: Social responsibility
SENIOR PHASE:
- Topic 1: Development of the self in society
- Topic 2: Health, social and environmental responsibility
- Topic 3: Constitutional rights and responsibilities
Presented by Here Manje and KB Theatre Productions.
Choreography by Cleo Notcutt and Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Resident photographer and cinematographer: Dex Goodman.
Once upon a time, a boy named Tommy who lived an unadventurous life was presented by a challenge from the new kid at school – join us on an adventure of the imagination and magic. Come see Tommy’s journey to becoming a hero.
The Incredible Journey premiered at Fringe World 2015 in Perth, Western Australia. The show received a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the 2015 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa.
First published in 1945, the production tells the timeless classic novel’s story; with a uniquely South African slant to ensure it has relevance and topicality for contemporary audiences.
Animal Farm has recently been selected as a nominee for the Naledi Awards Showcase organized by Assitej at the Soweto Theatre in October 2014.
Emperor Loxly’s court is in turmoil, because his designer quit the day before his birthday, and left His Highness without a new show-stopper outfit. That is, however not the only problem. The much bigger issue is Wonty, the unenthusiastic court jester, who stole the emperor’s prized watch, and is planning to take over the kingdom. The emperor’s loyal servant, Wilma, tries to maintain the status quo: keeping Loxly happy and Wonty quiet, but then Wonty is banned, Loxly almost loses his mind, and a stranger makes his appearance. Can the smooth talking, never-heard-of designer called Wontier, save the day?
In the workshop, learners evaluate all the characters in the play, and decide who displayed good leadership skills. They also apply it to their own environment and lives.
An adaptation of Paul Gallico’s classic novella The Snow Goose. Tells the story of storm tossed snow goose who brings together a young girl, Frith, and a reclusive hunchback outcast, Rhayader, together. Set against the second world war and the miracle of Dunkirk. The Snow Goose is a story about bravery and friendship.
Produced by KBT Productions, directed and designed by Jenine Collocott (Sunday Morning, Dirt, A Day in the Desert, High Diving), performed by James Cairns (Dirt, Three Little Pigs) and Taryn Bennett (Kaput!), adapted by the director and the cast.
Untouchable Productions presents:
BLOOD ORANGE
a new work
Directed by Greig Coetzee
Performed by Craig Morris
Scripted by Greig Coetzee, Craig Morris & Troy Blacklaws
From the Novel by Troy Blacklaws
Greig Coetzee directs the latest exciting offering by physical theatre performer Craig Morris.
The story of Gecko, a boy who has an oblique, out-of-sync way of seeing the world, of his childhood among the green hills of Natal and of his jagged school days in the Cape, where the Simonsberg drinks the Blood Orange sun at dusk. James Dean and Wilbur Smith have two-bit parts in this drama that begins with man landing on the moon and ends with Mandela riding a mermaid to freedom. A zany “Catcher in the Rye“! Festival favourite Greig Coetzee is well known to Natal audiences, and has performed extensively here over the last decade. He has recently decided to devote more time to his first love, writing, and less to performance.
Craig Morris was schooled at Port Shepstone High before studying at Rhodes University under Andrew Buckland and Prof. Gary Gordon as a founder member of The First Physical theatre Company. Festinos will remember Craig from Attachments 1-6, and Hero (directed by Andrew) which performed at Hilton last year.
Troy Blacklaws is the author of the original novel Blood Orange. He was born in Pinetown, studied at Rhodes and now teaches and writes in Germany! He recently flew out from Germany to attend the premiere performances of Blood Orange in Grahamstown!
Three very distinctive creative voices have come together to create, in collaboration, what is fast becoming a contemporary Physical Theatre classic!
TACTICS is a collection of daring short plays written by young South African writers who have worked with The Framework.
Five short plays are performed by performers, they will play different parts, and the plays will be performed in a different order to create a completely new whole. In keeping with the Framework’s ethos, no two performances will be the same.
All the plays are multiply cast, allowing the actors to play different roles each time. Both actors and audience formulate relationships and meaning afresh at each showing. To this end, the actors have been Framework-trained, but not rehearsed, so that they have to thrash out their virgin choices before the audience.
The Framework’s team brings this new, totally edgy, intersection between text and performance in a style that demands the following of the performers: Play yourself, play the best part of yourself, don’t ever apologise and play to win.
Foursight explores a High-school killing a year after the event and is told through the experiences of 4 characters. In attempting to understand how and why it happened the play cracks open the shells of our education system, bullying in schools, the media, the teenage mind and the role of absent the parent, who is willing to take responsibility? The play tackles identity, prejudice, self-image, violence, abuse and tolerance. Few stones are left unturned.