INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Sometimes there seems to be some kind of binding theme or spirit to the events planned for the week ahead in Cape Town, some co-incidence based on content or geography or mood. And sometimes there's something happening that is so exciting that all by itself it creates the spirit of the week. And then there are weeks, like this one, when there's a fairly random collection of events that need an introductory note to string them together.......
SOCCER CINEMA AT THE LABIA
The Soccer Cinema Festival is coming to the Labia, screening what they promise to be "the best soccer documentary films ever made." The preview night this Friday features two films that approach the subject from really interesting angles, and the first one sounds particularly worth seeing. It's a BBC documentary called The Game of their Lives which tells a David and Goliath story from the 1966 World Cup, about the unknown team from North Korea who knocked the favourites Italy out of the quarter finals. It uses archival footage and interviews with the seven surviving players (in the picture below), and highlights the relationship between the North Koreans and their host town Middleborough.
Later the same evening there's Offside, " a mixture of comedy and catastrophe," about a group of young woman in Iran who are such passionate football fans that they dress up as men and risk arrest to get into a match.
Labia Cinema 021 465 5805
Friday 4 June 18h15 and 20h15
Cost: R 30 per screening
AESOP'S FABLES AT THE FUGARD
On the children's theatre front, there's a bit of light on the horizon after countless years of cheap Noddy-style adaptations at our mainstream theatres every single holiday. Isango Portobello's production of Aesop's Fables is previewing at the Fugard Theatre from 4 June, with music, direction, design and acting from the team that created the celebrated Magic Flute and the Mysteries. In this version Aesop, who is a Greek slave, is joined by the animal character of his fables as he journeys to his freedom.
There's a nice co-incidence between the launch of this show and a three-day workshop to be facilitated by Janice Honeyman this weekend on the theme of the adaptation of children's literature and stories to stage. The workshop is hosted by ASSITEJ South Africa (an organization dedicated to children's theatre); it runs from 4 to 6 June, costs R700 and has space for only ten participants. For more information contact Lunga at artsadmin@mweb.co.za.
Aesop's Fables preview dates
4 – 9 June 19h00
R70 Children Under 12: Half-price on all tickets
POLITICAL ART AT MICHAEL STEVENSON
An exhibition of work by local and foreign artists "characterised by a heartfelt yet nuanced approach to politics" opens at the Michael Stevenson this Thursday. This is Our Time features artists Jane Alexander (born 1959, South Africa), Marc Bijl (1970, The Netherlands), Shepard Fairey (1970, USA), Meschac Gaba (1961, Benin), Simon Gush (1981, South Africa), Thomas Hirschhorn (1957, Switzerland), Anton Kannemeyer (1967, South Africa), Natasja Kensmil (1973, The Netherlands), MADEYOULOOK (founded 2009, South Africa), Sabelo Mlangeni (1980, South Africa), Zanele Muholi (1972, South Africa), Lucia Nimcova (1977, Slovakia), Serge Alain Nitegeka (1983, Burundi), Berni Searle (1964, South Africa), Penny Siopis (1953, South Africa), Frohawk Two Feathers (1976, USA), Akram Zaatari (1966, Lebanon).
Opening Thursday 3 June 18h00
Curator Joost Bosland will give a walkabout of the exhibition on Friday 4 June at 11h00. Cost is R20; all are welcome.
DIE ANTWOORD
For my two known readers (and any others) who are fans, a reminder of the last performance of Die Antwoord before they leave for an overseas tour. The group became famous overnight through the enormous YouTube success of their song Enter the Ninja; their genre is "zef-rave rap" which I'm told is distinguished by "huge amounts of Cape slang."
3 Arts Theatre, 260 Main Rd, Plumstead
Saturday 5 June 19h00
Cost: R100 (online) R120 (door)
www.computicket.com
www.dieantwoord.com
FYNBOS GARDENS
I'm glad that the Cape Horticultural Society welcomes visitors to their meetings, because next Monday, the 7th, they are hosting a talk that sounds very useful and inspiring to the gardeners among us. The title is "Fynbos Gardening; Common Myths, Lessons from Nature and Practical Tips for Success." The speaker is Marijke Honig, a well known landscape designer and specialist in indigenous gardens. One of her works is a roof garden at the Civic Centre that I didn't know about till now, with seven courtyards designed as different South African veld-type landscapes; visits to this garden can be arranged by calling James van As at 021 4001224.
Monday 7 June 20h00
The Athenaeum, Boundary Terraces (next to WPCC), Campground Road, Newlands.
Entrance fee, which includes tea, is R15.00 for visitors. There is no need to book.
