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Celebrate South Africa Festival Line-Up
an evening of music, thanks & celebration

Theatre
Gala Night
Music
Dance
Film
Contemporary Applied Art
Family / Children
Innovation and Technology
Fashion
Other South African Flavours

Theatre

A five week season of exuberant, modern day South African theatre sees the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn play host to three original pieces of work. The critically acclaimed Suip!, following Cape Town’s homeless people known as ‘bergies’ runs from 17^th April – 12^th May, fresh from its sell-out tour in Australia; Boy Called Rubbish and Squawk by and with Ellis Pearson and Bheki Mkhwane will then follow from the 8^th May – 19^th May.

The celebrated Umabatha – The Zulu Macbeth heralds the 2001 theatre season at Shakespeare’s Globe, returning four years after it first thrilled audiences on Bankside.

This acclaimed production of 46 foot stomping, spear-wielding performers produces a dynamic reinterpretation of Shakespeare, demonstrating his enduring popularity and the creative skill of these awesome South African artists.

On Sunday May 27^th the Royal Festival Hall will pulsate with music, humour and drama, in a special night of irreverent wit and words of wisdom featuring the cream of South African and UK theatrical musical talent. Directed by Greg Doran and Janice Honeyman, the event is entitled Freedom Too! and is a celebratory follow-up to the famous anti-apartheid show Two Dogs and Freedom which took place at Sadler’s Wells in 1988. Eclectic South African talent will be arriving especially to perform including Hugh Masekela, Pieter-Dirk Uys and visiting comedy star Marc Lottering. UK based South African’s Sir Antony Sher, Sir Nigel Hawthorne and Richard E Grant with a performance by the South African cast of The Lion King and it’s musical director Lebo M will appear together with British guest stars Richard Wilson, Helena Kennedy, The Kinnocks and Trevor Macdonald. All proceeds will go to The Canon Collins Educational Trust for Southern Africa, aimed at providing educational support for the most disadvantaged sectors of the South African community.

On Monday 28^th May, as part of the May Bank Holiday, the ballroom foyer of the RFH will be devoted to new South African music from Kwaito to Pantsula dance, taking in future digital sounds and cross continental hybrids. Performances by township street theatre groups will take place through the day covering physical theatre and South African story-telling. The taste and flavours of South Africa will also be present in the wide range of foods available during the day.

Monday 28^th May will see the Royal Festival Hall host an evening of the very best South African song. The glorious Sibongile Khumalo will take to the stage, joined by her young protégée Gloria Bosman and followed by the first London performance by Women of Mambazo, a project nurtured by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Running from Saturday 26^th - Sunday 27^th May, four exciting new dance pieces will make up In Full Flight, a series of work choreographed and performed by young South African artists; Gregory Maqoma, Portia Mashigo, Timothy le Roux and Boyzie Cekwana and The Floating Outfit project. Each of these performers explores issues of identity both as citizens, and more particularly as artists, living in contemporary, post-Apartheid South Africa.

South African Film Season 4^th – 31^st May. Virtually unknown to British audiences, due to years of cultural boycot, South African film is a vast and exciting arena awaiting discovery. The NFT are hosting a 29 strong line-up encompassing feature film, documentaries, short films, panel discussions, seminars, popular television programmes and prize-winning advertisements. Although the season includes both old and new work, the emphasis is placed on exciting new talent taking their place in an industry from which they were once excluded. Devised by the curators of the Cape Town Film Festival, the programme is designed to give viewers an insight into the South Africa of today. Highlights include Oliver Schmitz’s eagerly awaited Hijack Stories, Gavin Hood’s acclaimed drama A Reasonable Man, The multi award winning The Great Dance: A Hunter’s Story - a stunning film following the San Bushmen in the Kalahari, and Chikin Biznis, a township comedy from Spike Lee alumnus Ntshaveni Wa Luruli, which opens the festival.

Also at the Tricycle, the powerful Oscar-nominated, A Long Nights’ Journey into Day from 18^th – 24^th May. The film documents the painful process of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission in a devastatingly effective and vivid insight into the attempt to heal a wounded nation.

From 10^th – 28^th May the.gallery@oxo hosts ‘Bowled Over’, an exhibition of contemporary applied art from South Africa. On display will be beautiful and diverse bowls by talented artists from various regions of the country, who use a wide variety of recycled materials such as multicoloured telephone wire, grass and glass along with the more usual wood and paper. These everyday objects on display demonstrate the inventiveness, vitality and dynamism of South African contemporary applied art and its place within the present-day home. Entry is free.

Across the May Bank Holiday weekend (Saturday 26^th – Monday 28^th May) a series of events involving live music, free workshops, craft and food stalls, will set up home in Bernie Spain Gardens and along the South Bank. A highlight of the festival will see a schools project culminate in a vibrant Carnival procession along the banks of the Thames on Bank Holiday Monday, from Bernie Spain Gardens to the Royal Festival Hall. UK and South African artists, musicians and actors will work in partnership over six-weeks with children from schools in Lambeth and Southwark to create an original carnival based on an exchange of skills, information and experience. The Carnival is in association with Coin Street Festival.

From the 15^th – 24^th May the BFI London IMAX Cinema hosts ‘The Hidden Edge’, an innovation and technology showcase. As South Africa gets to grips with meeting its development challenges and building a prosperous and dynamic economy, this showcase will provide a fascinating insight into the growing expertise within the country. A seminar programme will also accompany The Hidden Edge. Entry to the Hidden Edge is free.

As part of the Celebrate South Africa festival, De Beers is sponsoring an invite only fashion show at South Africa House on May 1 in aid of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The show will serve as the European launch of Foundation, and will be attended by Dr Mandela who will introduce some of Britain’s political and business leaders and celebrities to the Foundation’s work in combating poverty and Aids in South Africa.

The show will showcase the latest jewellery and fashion designs by both established and young South African designers, including the work of the 2001 winners of De Beers Shining Light Awards, as well as stunning Afro-fashion by some of the countries most exciting young talent.

Continuing the buzz of South African talent, the London Borough of Lewisham will be running a week long programme of events as part of Celebrate South Africa from Saturday 19^th May - Friday 25^th May.

The public performances include their own launch event at Lewisham Shopping Centre on Saturday 19^th May, storytelling through-out the whole week at the 11 libraries in the Borough, Ellis & Bheki will perform at Lewisham Studio Theatre on Friday 25^th May and Jackie Semela from the World famous Soweto Dance Theatre will run a series of dance workshops culminating in performance at the launch as well as on a Free Stage at the South Bank on Monday 28^th May.

And in Durban’s twin-town Leeds, Dr Nelson Mandela will launch the North East’s own Celebrate South Africa programme. This huge launch event, on Monday 30^th April, takes place in the heart of Leeds city centre and will include performances from Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Shikisha and will be compared by ITN broadcaster Jon Snow and South Africa international / Leeds United captain Lucas Rahebe. As part of this event, Dr Mandela will receive the Freedom of the City. Other events over the week include cultural evenings and book promotions and seminars.

Dr Nelson Mandela will be the guest of honour at a dedication service at Southwark Cathedral on Saturday 28^th May. The service will dedicate a room in the Cathedrals’ new building to Archbishop Desmond Tutu who was a curate in the Southwark diocese during his time as a student in London and is the International President of the Southwark Cathedral Building Project Appeal. This family service will be by invitation only.

Source: Press Release by Department of Foreign Affairs, 5 April 2001