THREE HIGH-POWERED TALKS TODAY
1.
If you are free at lunch-time today, there's a talk at UWC by big star intellectual Mahmood Mamdani. Mamdani became familiar to many of us when he lived in Cape Town and taught at UCT in the late 90s; after that he became Professor of Government at Columbia. He specializes in the study of African history and politics and today he addresses the topic “From Human Rights to Human Wrongs: An alternative to Nuremburg as a paradigm.”
Monday 24 12h30 for 13h00
Library Auditorium University of the Western Cape Modderdam Road Bellville
2.
Later today, some more high-powered talk in a debate about Israel between Steven Friedman, visiting Professor of Politics at Rhodes University and Dennis Davis, Judge of the SA High Court. I was impressed with Dennis Davis's deeply felt piece in last week's Mail and Guardian about the Goldstone affair and the tensions between universalism and particularism in the Jewish tradition http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-05-14-the-death-of-a-communal-mind
The Book Lounge, cnr Roeland & Buitenkant Sts 021 462 2425
17h30 for 18h00
Cost: Free
3.
"My Life in the Gush of Boasts" is the mysterious title of a public lecture by British artist Phil Collins at Michaelis this afternoon. Not to be confused with the musician, Collins was short-listed for the Turner Prize in 2006, and is described on the Tate Modern website as "instigating unpredictable situations (and operating) within forms of low-budget television and reportage-style documentary to address the discrepancy between reality and its representations."
Monday 24 17h30
Commerce Lecture Theatre, Hiddingh Campus 021 480 7170
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM AND THE WDR BIG BAND
Book early for this one - a once-off Cape Town concert by the great Abdullah Ibrahim performing with Grammy Award-winning WDR Big Band from Cologne. They are playing compositions from the new CD Bombella which has had rapturous reviews.
Re-printed here is one such review, from the Guardian:
....Ibrahim, now 75, is teamed here with Cologne's fine WDR orchestra, and the session is in part a dedication to British arranger Steve Gray – who died last year, but whose Ellingtonesque reworkings of the South African's classic themes are modest masterpieces. In working with Ibrahim, Gray made the sound of a jazz orchestra veer between that of a Salvation Army band and a Saturday-night Harlem jam-session, thus embracing the composer's principal influences: church hymns and 1940s American swing. The smoky sax melody of Song for Sathima represents Ibrahim's soulful lyricism at its best; the gleeful strut of Mandela emerges first in a piccolo solo over breezy swing and ends up sounding like Ellington, Basie and Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath bands combined; and when the orchestra picks up the insinuating harmonic shift in the brooding District Six it tingles the spine....
29 May 20h00
Auditorium 1, CTICC
Cost: R 200 from Computicket
021 410 5000
DAMON GALGUT'S WAITING FOR GODOT AT THE LITTLE
Don't miss this Godot, it's wonderful, a great masterpiece illuminated by brilliant acting. The balance between comedy and tragedy, absurdity and reality, is so beautifully judged, and the great double act of Oscar Petersen and David Isaacs as Vladimir and Estragon brings layers of the relationship to the fore. My only quibble was with the costume and lighting design which seemed too crude to match the rest of this wonderful work.
Little Theatre Hiddingh Campus
18 May to 5 June
19h30 Tuesday to Saturday
(021) 480-7129
Tickets: R85
BEST OF IKHWEZI AT THE BAXTER STUDIO
Every year the Baxter holds the Ikhwezi Theatre Festival for new and indigenous work, and a few years ago they established the follow-up "Best of Ikhwezi" season. A number of the winning plays have gone on to win accolades on mainstream stages and festivals. This year's two winners are both autobiographical one-handers, and are on as a double bill for two weeks at the Studio.
A Plague of Heroes is written by Durban-born Vusi Mazibuko, directed by Maurice Podbrey, and acted by Thami Mbongo. It tells Vusi's story of growing up in Kwamashu and falling under the spell of the local crime syndicates, the ‘heroes' of the township.
Allie Pad Funny Worcester is directed by Rob van Vuuren with writer and actress Shimmy Isaacs, who won the competition last year as well with Dens With Me. She uses stand-up comedy and physical theatre to tell the story of "her journeys as a confused coloured woman" after leaving her home town of Worcester to pursue her dream of being on stage.
Tuesday to Saturday 19h00
Baxter Theatre Studio
ALLIANCE FRANCAISE CINE CLUB
Alliance Francaise's cine-club features a long documentary this Wednesday about the history of Elle magazine. It looks fun enough for anyone the slightest bit interested in magazines and fashion to spend an evening in this lovely venue, watching the movie for free with a drink or some good food from the bar.
Wednesday 26 19h00
Alliance Francaise's cine-club features a long documentary this Wednesday about the history of Elle magazine. It looks fun enough for anyone the slightest bit interested in magazines and fashion to spend an evening in this lovely venue, watching the movie for free with a drink or some good food from the bar.
Wednesday 26 19h00
Alliance Française, 155 Loop Street
Free entrance
Free entrance
TALK ABOUT THE BOTANICAL DIVERSITY OF ANGOLA
In Kirstenbosch's Free Wednesday Talk series, one of their horticulturists Adam Harrower will give a talk entitled Into the Wilds of Angola which will "highlight some of the spectacular scenery and plant life that we witness in this rapidly changing and biologically rich country." Angola remains the most unknown territory in southern Africa for most of us, and I'm curious to go to this talk and get some impression of the country.
Wednesday 26 10h30 - 11h30
Lecture Hall (Gate 2), Kirstenbosch NBG
Free entry. Booking is not necessary
In Kirstenbosch's Free Wednesday Talk series, one of their horticulturists Adam Harrower will give a talk entitled Into the Wilds of Angola which will "highlight some of the spectacular scenery and plant life that we witness in this rapidly changing and biologically rich country." Angola remains the most unknown territory in southern Africa for most of us, and I'm curious to go to this talk and get some impression of the country.
Wednesday 26 10h30 - 11h30
Lecture Hall (Gate 2), Kirstenbosch NBG
Free entry. Booking is not necessary
FROM PIERNEEF TO GUGULECTIVE AT SANG
I finally saw the re-hang of the National Gallery this week, whirling through this massive exhibition much too briefly - it will take several visits to see it thoroughly, so I can't engage too profoundly with the different opinions it has generated. But I can recommend it as essential viewing, whatever the overall verdict - there's lots that's beautiful enough to stop you in your tracks, and it feels like a huge relief to see the whole space refreshed!
I finally saw the re-hang of the National Gallery this week, whirling through this massive exhibition much too briefly - it will take several visits to see it thoroughly, so I can't engage too profoundly with the different opinions it has generated. But I can recommend it as essential viewing, whatever the overall verdict - there's lots that's beautiful enough to stop you in your tracks, and it feels like a huge relief to see the whole space refreshed!
