Fresh Theatre for Young Minds at the Cape Town Fringe 2016
image - Police Cops by Pretend Men
The Cape Town Fringe returns to the Mother City from 22 September – 8 October 2016, with the addition of a new Buskers Festival running from 6-9 October at the V&A Waterfront. The programme leans into the school holidays and runs over three weekends with a host of daytime and early evening shows.
As a Festival committed to providing an accessible platform for theatre makers and new audiences, the Cape Town Fringe has included a number of family-friendly shows on the 2016 programme to spark theatre habits in children and teens. Here are some of the must see shows for the young and young-at-heart.
LITTLE KIDS (all ages)
The Gruffalo
The brand new South African version of The Gruffalo will premiere at the Cape Town Fringe and runs daily from 22 Sep-3 Oct. Directed by Tara Notcutt, with a cast of Grahamstown actors, the costumes and sets were also made in the National Arts Festival’s home city, as part of their Creative City project. Tall Stories’ original adaption of Julia Donaldson’s much-loved book has already played to packed audiences in the West End of London and beyond. Suitable for all ages.
Le Rêve du Lucie
From Reunion Island comes a magical tale of a little girl’s nightmares and how she turns them into marvellous dreams. Using stick puppetry and wooden props, the performers weave the audience into their fantasy world and demonstrate the healing power of the imagination. Catch them at the City Hall between 4-8 October. A free performance for children (adults pay R30) will take place at Gugu S’Thebe on noon on 5 October.
CityGull/Stadmeeu
Why does Steve the seagull love the city more than the sea? Does naming him a seagull define who he is and where he belongs? This interactive, bilingual play explores notions of belonging and acceptance and features beautiful visuals and puppetry. Showing daily at the City Hall from 29 September till 2 October, it’s a great start to the school holidays.
Fabric of the Universe
Awarded a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival, Lexi Meier’s installation explores the joy in ‘making’. Textures, sights and sounds envelope the audience as they explore a tactile and enchanted world. The installation is open from 10am daily throughout the Fringe with shows taking place on the 1 and 2 October at 19h00 and at the same time 5-8 October in the City Hall Foyer.
MEDIUM KIDS (Grade 4 and older)
Falling off the Horn
Another 2016 Standard Bank Ovation winner, this beautifully crafted piece from community theatre company Uyabona Ke, uses masks, puppetry, dance, visual and physical theatre to relay the story of one man’s experience of xenophobia in South Africa. A free (for children- adults pay R30) show will take place at Gugu S’Thebe at noon on 1 October and the play will also be at the City Hall 1-3 October. It is suitable for Grades 4 and up.
Public Displays of Affection
Nylon Theatre explores our daily gestures and small ceremonies as they play out in public space in this visual and physical dance piece. Suited to children of Grade 4 and up, the performances will be free at various locations in the V&A Waterfront (times and locations will appear in the Busker’s Festival programme).
Silent Cries
A story seen through eyes of children, this multi-lingual dance and physical theatre piece centres around an incident during which children witness a man being burnt to death by an angry group in a Durban community. For children of Grade 4 and over, this performance will take place at the City Hall from 1-3 October.
When Lion Had Wings
Jungle Theatre will premiere their new play for children of Grades 4-7 with a free performance on the Grand Parade on the last day of the Cape Town Fringe, 8 October at 11h00. Expect stilt characters, animal masks and original music as this folktale of a fearful flying lion unfolds.
BIG KIDS (Grade 8 - adult)
Police Cops
Winner: Stage Award for Acting Excellence 2015. Winner: Brighton Fringe Award for Excellence 2015. Winner: Vault People’s Choice Award 2016.
Following not 1, not 2, but 3 sell-out runs on London’s West End at Soho Theatre, The Pretend Men’s critically acclaimed, multi award-winning comedy blockbuster Police Cops makes it’s South African debut for an action-packed hour of adrenaline fuelled physical comedy, cinematic style and uncompromising facial hair. ★★★★★ – THE STAGE
Catch it from 22 September till 2 October, every day except the 26th September at the City Hall.
Cut in Two
Directed by Soli Philander and written by Justin Sieberhagen, this complex play looks at a family divided by circumstance. Suited to older children (Grades 8-12) it explores our individual desire for fulfilment. Catch it at the Alexander Bar between 1 and 8 October.
Die Gelapte Pop
Zabalaza theatre and writer/director Ralph May bring this much talked-about play to the Cape Town Fringe. Targeted at adults and teens from Grade 8 upwards, the play deals with bi-polar disorder and the effects of a community’s lack of understanding about the condition. The play is in Afrikaans and runs from 30 September – 2 October at the City Hall.
Fruit
A heart-wrenching but beautifully told story of innocence and the betrayal of innocence from the Dala Arts Project, Fruit is only suitable for older teens Grade 8 and over. The play will show at the City Hall from 22-26 September.
Glitter Girls
Teens (and adults) will love the comedy/cabaret Glitter Girls in which the cast are sent back to high-school (well their high school reunion at any rate) and a chance to relive the 80’s. Bright, light and entertaining, Macbob Productions always brings plenty of fun to the stage. Suitable for Grade 8 and up, the Glitter Girls are in town from 1-3 October at the Cape Town City Hall.
Mind Over Magic
Mind-bending illusion from Brendon Peel may have Grade 8 and older kids reconsidering their career choice and heading for magic school. Peel puts the audience into the driver seat as the psychological illusion unfolds. Running from the 29 September – 3 October at the City Hall, there will also be a performance at the Alexander Bar at 14h00 on 2 October.
Out of Bounds
Hungry Minds Productions zones in on the identity struggles of Indians in South Africa post-apartheid. Written by Rajesh Goopie, the play asks why we seal ourselves off from one another and what will happen when we peel the layers away. Also for teens Grade 8 and older, the play shows at the City Hall from 23-25 September and on 27 October.
Ubudoda
For Grade 8 and over, this play comes from the Zabalaza Theatre Festival and tells the tale of a man who returns to South Africa after many years in the UK. The piece looks at some of the cultural challenges faced when someone tries to reintegrate with their roots. Suitable for Grade 8’s and up, the play is in English and takes place at the City Hall on 24th, 26th and 27th September.
Woza Albert
Not only is this a chance to see the set-work book brought to life, but Hexagon Theatre’s energetic and creative production has been met with much critical acclaim, taking home a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival in 2015. Book to see it at the City Hall on 1,2,4,5 and 7 October or catch the free (for children only – R30 for adults) performance of the play at Gugu S’Thebe on the 3rd and 6th October at 14h00. Best suited to Grades 8 and older.
You Suck and Other Inescapable Truths
Meet the Grade 9 underdog, a quirky Afrikaans girl in an all-English school and all the angst that comes with being the odd one out. A winner of a Standard Bank Ovation Award for 2016, Klara van Wyk is bringing in the fans for a whole new generation of theatre-goers and wowing a generations of older ones too. Suited to Grade 8 and above.
Cape Town Busker’s Festival
The soon-to-be-announced programme for the Cape Town Busker’s Festival will be packed with free performances for the whole family to see at the V&A Waterfront from 6-9 October www.ctbuskersfestival.co.za
Says Guest Artistic Director of the Cape Town Fringe, Rob Murray, “It is well-documented that theatre inspires empathy in children and young adults and we encourage parents to look beyond the predictability of screens to ignite the world of theatre.”
In partnership with the City of Cape Town, the Fringe will also be taking shows to schools across the Peninsula.
The Cape Town Fringe’s City Hall hub includes a Fringe Club where Festival goers can pass some time enjoy eats and drinks from the pop-up stalls and possibly even see a spontaneous live performance.
To book visit www.capetownfringe.co.za
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