Afrovibes Festival brings some of the very best South African Arts to Newcastle. Afrovibes’ programme, the biggest ever, marks 20 years of South African freedom: 20 years since the ending of apartheid and the beginning of democracy.
Making a welcome return to Live Theatre, this year Afrovibes Festival extends to Northern Stage for the first time.
Work by award-winning artists reflects what it is to be part of 21st century South Africa, which promises to be thought-provoking, energetic, refective, fascinating and wonderful.
Mamela, (Tuesday 4 to Saturday 8 November) a play developed by Live Theatre and Curious Monkey which tells the true stories of remarkable young South African women. Join Director Amy Golding and the cast for a post show discussion about the making of the play after the Tuesday 4 November performance.
Live Theatre will also host The Soil, (8pm, Friday 7 November) an award-winning a cappella group from Soweto.
There will be a free play reading of Elusive Spring, a play written by one of South Africa’s leading playwrights, Mike Van Graan on (2pm, Saturday 8 November). A political thriller in development set in post-colonial South Africa it interweaves the stories of a local journalist who becomes dangerously enmeshed in political intrigue. The reading will be followed by a Q&A session with the cast.
One man show Skierlik (4pm, Saturday 8 November) is written and performed by Phillip Dikotla one of South Africa’s leading playwrights.This emotional play revisits the after effects of racially motivated shootings on a remote settlement.
Audiences will also be able to join Phillip M. Dikotla that morning for a free writing workshop on writing theatre of the oppressed.
Afrovibes events at Northern Stage include Biko’s Quest, (7.30pm, Friday 7 and Saturday 8 November) a spectacular, vibrant and powerful dance piece and Rainbow Scars (6.30pm, Thursday 6 November) in which Mike Van Graan, one of South Africa’s leading playwrights confronts the question of racial identity head on.
Northern Stage also hosts the Township Café, from Thursday 6 to Saturday 8 November, a free South-African themed space to hang out, drink, and eat, open from 11am daily with live performances from 9pm until late. Afrovibes Festival Closing Party features live music and performances from festival acts on Saturday 8 November in the Township Café from 9pm
Waka Waka Africa North East 