The Vrystaat Arts Festival annually hosts productions by staff, students, and alumni from the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts.
This year was no exception with several productions from theatre for young audiences to serious dramas performed at the Main and Vrynge Festival. The festival ran from 11 – 15 July 2023 on the UFS Campus.
Five professional productions featured at the Main Festival. A ten-minute extract of
Fragmented, written by
Jane Mpholo, showcased at the 2022 Teksmark. Now a fully-developed script starred Mpholo under the direction of
Peter Taljaard, both alumni.
Incognito, by Nick Payne, directed by
Thys Heydenrych,
Lecturer and Programme Director, featured
Barend Kriel and
Jani Marais, both staff members, and MA students
Daniëlle Doubell and
DJ Kruger. The four actors played a combined 21 characters within three interwoven stories asking “what it means to be human”. Incognito was nominated for
Best Set Design,
Best Costume Design, and
Best Marketing. Daniëlle Doubell and DJ Kruger were both nominated for
Best Emerging Artist.
DJ Kruger was awarded the
Kobus Rossouw Prize for Best Emerging Free State Artist.
Die fel omstrede kroon, Edward II & Gaveston, featuring alumnus
Wilhelm van der Walt, was directed by Martinus Basson and Van der Walt won the prize for
Best Supporting Interpretation. The production was also nominated for
Best Set Design and
Best Costume Design.
In the double-bill comedy
Ou Wyntoon en die weerlose kreatuur & Die Oudisie, adapted, translated, and directed by
Nico Luwes, the former Head of the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts, festival-goers had the chance to laugh twice as hard. Staff member and Programme Director
Thys Heydenrych performed in
Die Oudisie, together with alumni
Chanmari Erasmus and
Peter Taljaard.
Woelige Willemien en haar maatjie, Meraaitjie, written by
Karen Combrinck and directed by
Marijda Kamper, both staff members at the Drama Department featured several alumni:
Stella Nortier,
Marnique Terblanche,
Melane Hamman,
Nico Taljaard,
Charl Henning,
CW Laten and Hester Maree. Several productions by students and alumni were staged at the Vrynge Festival.
Deidré, directed by honours student,
Lize-Mari Malan, featured
Barend Kriel , a staff member, and honours students
Juné Pretorius,
Mia Kahts, and
Anneri Bisschoff.
Die Skuldeiser, an Afrikaans adaptation of August Strindberg’s
Creditors is a tragic-comedy translated and directed by
Paquot, a staff member at the Drama Department, featuring alumni
Tiaan Gerber,
CW Laten, and
Mia Kahts.
Die Skuldeiser was nominated for
Best Marketing.
Omhoog was written and directed by
Nic Beukes, a staff member, with alumni
CW Laten,
Anneri Bisschoff,
Juné Pretorius, and staff members
Lorenzo Dampies, and
Paquot.
Nic Beukes was nominated for
Best Ground-breaking Work as a playwright.
The Dead Sun was a complete student production directed and written by
Gert Hay, with
Dinga Mpiti,
Jaano de Bruin,
Monde Ngwenya,
Lonwabo Likayi,
Lungelo Makhathini, and
Fika Majozini. In the realm of Theatre for Young Audiences
Tom en Tracey in Tandeland! written and directed by
Lize-Mari Malan with alumni
Erik Walter Curlewis,
Jené Heymans,
Claudi Els, and honours student
Amíra-Xandria van Biljon, attracted children of all ages.
Alumnus
Charl Henning won the
Best Emerging Artist prize with his
Daki Vuka Emaqandeni performance. He showcased his talent for comedy in
Narrewales which was brought to the stage by The Bloemfontein Clowning Troupe.
Students and alumni also took part in other events at the festival.
Daniëlle Doubell and
Demi du Plessis, both students, took part in a story-hour at the Literature Festival. They read
Die Avonture van Skapie-Mê!, a selection of four stories by Perle du Plessis.
Hanro Cloete, MA student, assisted the Marketing and Media Coordinator during the festival. Daniëlle also coordinated artists on the two open stages on the festival grounds. Several students and alumni worked as technical crew (stage managers, stagehands, lighting and sound operators) and front-of-house personnel (venue managers and ushers) in various venues during the festival.
The Department of Drama and Theatre Arts would like to congratulate the Vrystaat Arts Festival and its Festival Director,
Michael Garbett, and his team on a successful festival this year. We are pleased to say that Michael Garbett and some of his team members,
Mark Dobson (Marketing and Development Manager),
Isabel Lock (Programme Manager) and
Michelle Horn (Technical Manager) are also alumni. You make us proud and we hope to continue our collaboration.