The Cape Town Buskers Festival set to thrill

An array of local and international performers will be wowing the crowds at the V&A Waterfront, host venue to the Festival.

 

Says Cape Town Buskers Festival CEO Tony Lankester, “It’s a light and lively Festival with plenty for every kind of audience to enjoy and it was really well received by the crowds last year. We are looking forward to once again celebrating the freedom of expression, staggering skill and cheeky humour that the buskers bring.”

 

In many countries worldwide, busking is a respected performance career, yet it remains misunderstood in South Africa. ‘Captivating busking takes real talent’, says Lankester, ‘professional buskers know how to truly hold a crowd’s attention and a good performer will have the audience happily parting with their money – often as part of the act.’

 

The V&A Waterfront is leading the way for the professionalisation of busking with an active programme nurturing and supporting the local busking community. Head of Communications for the V&A Waterfront, Donald Kau says, ‘Buskers are a distinct feature of the Waterfront and an important part of our continuous investment in developing artists. The Buskers Festival is an extension of our ongoing commitment to create platforms for buskers to showcase their talent, earn an income and have exposure to a new audience daily.’

 

The 2017 International Buskers are:

 

Shandy (UK)

The one and only Shandy show is a highly visual, slick, sophisticated and funky fusion of street dance, mime and improvisational comedy. From acro-balancing, the Matrix and robotic masked mime to vocal beat-boxing street-locking, body-popping, costume changes and audience participation, this one-man funk-machine comedy mime show has it all and more!

 

Sharon Mahoney (Canada)

Sharon is your typical Canadian—polite, patriotic, apologetic and extremely passive-aggressive. But being an ambassador for such a country can be exhausting. With a "little" help from the audience, Sharon transforms into her more direct and domineering counterpart—Miss Tallulah—and shows what being libertine is all about!

 

Thelmo Parole (Spain)

A romantic warrior buffoon—Thelmo Parole revels in chaos and disorder, a lovably anarchic character skipping the fence from innocence to adversity. Creating epic poetry from tiny moments, this show combines classic cabaret clowning, circus and comedy with razor-sharp aesthetics to create a show not easily forgotten. You’ll laugh at Thelmo’s show—and laugh again when you remember!

 

Victor Hugo Rubilar (Argentina)

With eighteen international awards under his belt, five Guinness World Records and shows in 52 countries, he will not only entertain you but he will also amaze you with jaw-dropping world-class tricks.

In October 2013, Victor Rubilar broke the Guinness World Record of the most R.A.F (rolls around the face) in a minute. The record was set at the Maltepe Park Mall in Istanbul, Turkey and he managed the total amount of 35 R.A.F in one minute.

 

Local buskers auditioned for the Festival either in person or online. The buskers who were selected for this year’s Festival are:

 

Abikondela Marimba – marimba and instruments

Nku-Magic (Nkombuzo) – magician

Shifu Xiong – Kung Fu

Mazula – guitarists/singers

Cape Town Freestyle – soccer ball freestylers

Al Petersen – guitarist/singer

Reinhardt Buhr – brass band

Jo and the Ganga Muffins – guitar, mouth accordion

Street Kings – brass band

Siyazama Cultural – singers/dancers

Hlanganani Marimba – marimba band

Siyabuya Marimba – opera/marimba

Major Voices – singers/dancers

Didi and Julz – guitarist/violinist

Showman Entertainment – circus/acrobat and break dancing

AnecNote – acapella singing

Mmino (Hajo) – band

Zen Viljoen – looping

Kathryn Swain – guitarist/singer

Dylan Farred – guitarist/singer

Micaela Kleinsmill – guitarist/singer

Chico Muya – musician

Patrick and Patricia – musical duo

Paulo Coster – guitarist/singer

Angela Stuurman – musician

Brandon Sundae – guitarist/singer

AJ the Duo – musicians

Roxy – guitarist/singer

Joanne Cooper and Lebz – musician

Alanna Joy – guitarist/singer

Alta du Toit – marimba

Brandvlei Stofskoppers – dance, fancy footwork

 

The costs of the travel and accommodation of the eight learners and guardian of the riel dans troupe Brandvlei Stofskoppers (who are from the Northern Cape) are being sponsored by Square Kilometer Array (SKA) South Africa.

 

For more visit www.ctbuskersfestival.co.za or follow the social media channels:

Twitter – @CTbuskersfest

Instagram – @ctbuskersfest

Facebook – Cape Town Buskers Festival

#CTBuskers17

 

The Cape Town Buskers Festival is a project of the Cape Town Fringe, National Arts Festival and V&A Waterfront.

 

ENDS

 

About the Cape Town Fringe

Now in its fourth year, the Cape Town Fringe is a multi-genre performing arts festival that takes place in Cape Town from 21 September – 8 October 2017. Celebrating the city’s own talent, the Festival also attracts national and international work and encourages experimentation, collaboration and reinvention. In 2017, the Cape Town Fringe is extending its footprint into a Fringe circuit, which sees the Fringe bring exciting work closer to many of the city’s neighbourhoods. The Cape Town Fringe is grateful to its sponsors the City of Cape Town and Standard Bank.

Visit www.capetownfringe.co.za for more and stay close to the conversation on social media via:

Twitter – @ctfringe

Instagram – @ctfringe

Facebook – Cape Town Fringe

#CTFringe17

 

Released for the Cape Town Fringe Festival by

Rabbit in a Hat Communications

Sascha Polkey

[email protected]

021 300 0052

083 414 0552